
BY ALBERT LOREN CHENEY 



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THKODOKK KO«)SKVKI>T 

Nn s<iiiu (ir iiniisc of nicn can hoiior add ti> liim. 
Wild iiol)ly walk'd the earth, yet his own pathway trod. 
Now r.iiiii' holcls hijih hor torcli h'st weary eyes and dim, 
111 vain miirlit seek lo pierce death's el)oii sliadows jrrini. 
And miss tlie radiant patli he walk'd toward Cod. 

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Till' rt'conls of tlic War Department sliow that (Juciitiii Hnosevelt 
was appointed First Ijientenant. Aviation Section. Siurnal Oflicers 
Reserve Corps, on .Tulv li, I'.tlT : tliat he accepted Jnlv 7, l'.)17 : was 
assi;ined to active duty at Fort Wood, \. V.. July i:!, li>lT : that lie 
was born November IK, 1MI7 : that he was killed in aerial combat on 
enemy's side, .Tuly 14, IDIS, while a member of the '.loth Aero Scjuadron. 
First Pursuit (Jroup. and buried near ("h.anibry-Marne, (irave No. 1. 
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"Give every Man [and Woman] a Square Deal." 



PERSONAL MEMOIRS 

OF THE 

HOME LIFE 

• OF THE LATE 

Theodore Roosevelt 

As Soldier, Governor, Vice President, 

and President, in relation 

to Oyster Bay 



WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 



BY 

ALBERT LOREN CHENEY 

Formerly Editor of the Oyster Bay Pilot 



SECOND EDITION 



1919 

THE CHENEY PUBLISHING COMPANY 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 



, — ■ f^ r- f 



Copyright, 1019, 

BY ALBB2ST LOREN CHENEY 



O ?avi:'; 



APR 23 f9v0 






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TO THE PUBLIC 

A share of the net proceeds received from the sale 
of this book will he contributed to the fund for 
the establishment of the proposed Roosevelt Memo- 
rial Park at Oyster Bay. 

Respectfully, 

The Publisher. 
Washington. D. G. 
October, 1919. 



THIS BOOK 

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE 

FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS OF 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

ON 

GOOD OLD LONG ISLAND — ONE OF THE 

GARDEN SPOTS OF AMERICA. 



CONTENTS 



REVISED CONTENTS 

Addenda 137 

Roosevelt and the Cartoonists 138 

The ''Peaceful Roosevelts" 139 

Roosevelt and Riis 140 

"As a Girl Saw Theodore Roosevelt" 142 

Publishers' Announcement 158 



REVISED ILLUSTRATIONS 

Frontispiece Roosevelt, the Citizen. 

Lieut.-Col. Roosevelt, Jr. 
Lieut. Quentin Roosevelt. 
Col. Roosevelt, Rough Rider. 

The Man Who "Bossed" Roosevelt 30 

Home Reception 35 



CONTENTS. 

Pages 

To the Public v 

Foreword xvii 

"Roosevelt, the Man," xxiii 

Oyster Bay xxiv 

I Chapter — Roosevelt, the Soldier 1 

II Chapter — While Governor 13 

III Chapter — When Vice-President 35 

IV Chapter — As President 55 

President Roosevelt's "Shadow" 6G 

Roosevelt Memorial Association 117 

Quentin Roosevelt Post, American Legion. 118 

Roosevelt's Famous Race Suicide Letter . . 121 

"Songs and Tears" for the President .... 122 

Firemen's Tribute to Roosevelt 127 

Chronological Record of Roosevelt 128 

Col. Roosevelt's Final Appeal 132 

Last Words of Theodore Roosevelt 134 

ix 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Frontispiece — Lieut.-Col. Theodore Roosevelt. 

Page 
The Author xvi 

Following Page 

Oyster Bay Shore Front xxiv 

Col. Roosevelt in Camp at Montauk. ^ - 

Members of the Executive Force at Oyster i^ 

Bay. 
Col. Roosevelt's Former "Work Shop." ^^^ 

Trophy Cannon presented to Oyster Bay . . 14 
The Roosevelt Residence at Sagamore Hill. 
The Roosevelts on Horseback. i- 

Col. Roosevelt in Action. („,--- 

The Man who "Bossed" President 

Roosevelt 30 

Man Who Traveled Eight Years with Mr. 

Roosevelt. 
Reception to the President. ^^■-'- 

Where President Roosevelt Voted. 



Xlll 



Folloiving Page 

From Reporter to Collector of the Port of 

New York 46 

Former Owner of the Oyster Bay Pilot. 
Newspaper Representatives at Oyster Bay. 

Oyster Bay Pilot Office. 

Theodore Roosevelt When President 62 

Photograph Taken at Request of President ^ 

Roosevelt. 
Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt and Two Sons. 

Lieut.-Col. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr 78 

Notification Committee at Sagamore Hill . . 94 

The "Summer White House" at Oyster 

Bay 126 

Interior of Christ Church at Oyster Bay. 

William Craig, Who Gave His Life for the 
President. 

Grave of Theodore Rootle velt. 



XIV 



FOREWORD 





(Formerly Publisher of the Oyster Bay Pilot.) 



FOREWORD 

ii\ 70LUMES will be written upon the public life 
V of Theodore Roosevelt. Volumes will be 
necessary to recite the story properly," predicted 
the Washington Post at the time of Mr. Roose- 
velt's sudden death. 

Referring to his home life, the same newspaper, 
published in the National Capital where Theodore 
Roosevelt was so well known, said of him edi- 
torially : 

Now that all men may look upon him as in the past, what 
virtues appear in him ! His heart was pure and good in the 
personal relations of his life. He cherished home, and was 
never happier than when in the bosom of his family. His 
helpmeet, always beloved in Washington, will be sustained 
by the thought that love and consideration were the rule in 
her home, securely closed to the storm of public strife. He 
was proud of his children, as he might well have been, and 
when his sons proved their valor in the great war he entered 
with the keenest zest into every incident of their service. The 
White House never more truly represented the better side 
of American life than when it was occupied by the Roosevelt 
family. Its members were all fortunate in winning the 
hearty affection of their Washington neighbors. 

National sentiment is largely reflected by the 
newspapers published in the Capital of the United 
States. The editors may have disagreed with Mr. 

xvii 



xviii FOREWORD 

Roosevelt concerning many things, but in the final 
accounting they gave him a "square deal," as the 
following extracts taken from their editorials at 
the time of his death, will show : 

The Star: Theodore Roosevelt, judged by any standard, 
and on a world scale was a very remarkable man. He had 
great and varied gifts and employed them to high and 
noble ends. . . . He loved the country and wanted all 

nations to love it He was known wherever 

America is known and appraised at a commanding figure. 
His Americanism was as distinct and luminous as Lincoln's 
and will preserve his fame to late generations. 

The Herald : Even his enemies, for Colonel Roosevelt 
made enemies, made them because he was a great man, will 

admit his sterling qualities and sincerity The 

first citizen of the Republic has passed, for Colonel Roosevelt 
embodied the American spirit to a higher degree than any 

man living His public service eclipses by far 

any mistakes he might have made. He was a prodigious force 
for American welfare and our loss will become more evident 
as our need for leadership looms stronger. 

The Times : Theodore Roosevelt died too young, far short 
of the alloted span. But he had lived in one day more than 
many men live in a lifetime. . . . His friends find com- 
fort in the fact that thei-e was little, if anything, that the 
world failed to give him. Fortunate birth, good education, 
independent wealth, a field of infinite activity, the Presi- 
dency of the United States twice, and the affection of 
millions following him to the grave. 

The historian will, of necessity, record to the 
minutest degree, important events entering into 



FOREWORD xix 

the public life of Theodore Roosevelt, whose sturdy 
character, so deeply impressed upon the minds of 
the American people, will shine forth brighter and 
clearer as facts concerning his eventful career are 
unfolded around his world-honored name. 

Our humble volume, however, will be confined 
chiefly to the compiler's personal knowledge of 
Theodore Roosevelt as a close friend and neighbor ; 
but the plain, every-day story must necessarily be 
somewhat personal to the narrator in order to give 
added interest to the incidents recited, and also to 
prove the exact truth of the statements made, thus 
carefully avoiding exaggeration. 

We search history to ascertain just how Napo- 
leon, the Emperor, or the Kings and all rulers, 
treated the common people; and so the deeper 
we delve into the home record of Theodore Roose- 
velt, the more it is demonstrated that he was 
"of the people and for the people," and lived what 
he loved to preach: the simple life — just as Mrs. 
Roosevelt lives it, and just as she would have 
it always, by word and deed. 



In order to be able to participate in the Roose- 
velt drive in October, it has been necessary to 
speed up the work on this little volume — all the 



XX FOREWORD 

labor being done at night, after days of strenuous 
duties. There was no managing editor to make 
timely suggestions, nor alert copy reader to touch 
up the hastily prepared paragraphs. It was found 
difficult to procure desired material promptly ; and 
there was no time for studied literary effect. Con- 
sidering these adverse circumstances, it is sincere- 
ly to be hoped that our good friend. The Critic, will 
be charitable enough to pass over and excuse the 
defects in the book, especially as one of the pur- 
poses of its publication is to help in a good cause, 
thus according a "square deal" to — 

The Author. 



'ROOSEVELT, THE MAN." 



(^'T~HE impress that Theodore Roosevelt's per- 
-»- sonality has made upon the world does not 
need emphasis. Whatever his fame as a states- 
man it can never outrun his fame as a man. How- 
ever widely men may differ from him in matters of 
national policy, this thing men in their hearts 
would all wish, that their sons might have within 
them the spirit, the will, the strength, the manli- 
ness, the Americanism, of Roosevelt. He was 
made of that rugged and heroic stuff with which 
legend delights to play. The Idylls and Sagas and 
the Iliads have been woven about men of his mold. 
We may surely expect to see developed a Roose- 
\elt legend, a body of tales that will exalt the 
physical power and endurance of the man and the 
boldness of his spirit, his robust capacity for 
blunt speech, and his hearty comradeship, his live 
interest in all things living — these will make our 
boys for the long future proud that they are of 
his race and country. 

"And no surer fame than this can come to any 
man — to live in the hearts of the boys of his land 
as one whose doings and sayings they would wish 
to make their own." — Tribute paid to the Memory 
of Theodore Roosevelt by the Hon. Franklin K. 
Lane, Secretary of the Interior, January 7, 1919. 



OYSTER BAY is delightfully situated on the 
north side of Long Island, distant one 
hour's ride from Manhattan and Brooklyn Bor- 
oughs. Population 6,500. 

Oyster Bay has a picturesque frontage, consist- 
ing of two of the finest sheets of water in the 
world, known as the east bay and the west bay. 
Its table-lands, magnificent hills, many miles of 
splendid macadamized roads, romantic streets, 
cooling breezes and pure spring water, make it one 
of the greatest health resorts in America. The 
vital statistics of the town show a yearly death 
rate of only 12 in 1000. 

Some of the finest and most costly residences 
in this country, owned by prominent men, are 
located in Oyster Bay. 

On Centre Island is the home of the famous 
Seawanhaka-Corinthian Yacht Club; and many 
celebrated yachts anchor in the harbor. 

The Oyster Bay Bank, the North Shore Bank, 
a fine Union High School, a Free Library, a Board 
of Trade, six well-supported Churches, Titus* gen- 
eral machine shop, Davenport's Hotel, Sagamore 
Hotel on the bay, the Oyster Bay Inn, an Opera 
House, and two weekly newspapers are among the 
notable institutions. 

Oyster Bay is famed for its splendid drives, as 
well as its oysters, and fine fishing. 

NOTE. — The above description of Oyster Bay was written for the 
Pilot by the Author fifteen years ago. Several lines have been chansred 
to meet present day conditions. XXiV 




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From "Our Patriotic President." 

Colonel Theodore Koosovelt in Cnnip at Montank, L. I. 
(Giving the order to dishniid liis regiment.) 




^Iciiilicrs (if tilt' Summer White House Kxerutive Foree at 
Oyster I'.iiy in 1'.l(l."t, with tlieir fiimih'es. 

The late B. F. Barnes, formerly postmaster of Washington, D. C 
is seated on the steps in the foreground at the left of the picture 
and faces Elmer E. Paine, formerly of the Associated Press. M. O. 
Latta, who carries messaeres from the White House to the Capitol is 
seated in the last row and to the right of the picture. 



ROOSEVELT, THE SOLDIER, AT OYSTER 
BAY 



c 



CHAPTER I. 



3 




Y ACQUAINTANCE with Theodore 
Roosevelt dates from the time he arrived 
in Oyster Bay from San Juan, in the late 
summer of 1898; and his first visit to 
the Pilot office was both interesting and 
amusing. 

I w^as absent at the time Mr. Roosevelt called. 
My wife happened to be in the editorial room 
when she saw a carriage stop in front of the build- 
ing, and a distinguished-looking gentleman alight- 
ed, entered the office, and with gleaming teeth, and 
in a very slow, emphatic tone, asked to see the 
editor. My wife was awed at first and somewhat 
alarmed, thinking the gentleman had a grievance 
against the Pilot. 

Mr. Roosevelt's fame and popularity had caused 
an enterprising toy manufacturing concern to put 
on the market a tin whistle in imitation of Mr. 



2 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Roosevelt's famous teeth; and the boys on the 
streets had been using them overtime. When the 
distinguished gentleman again smiled, my wife 
recognized him from the tin-whistle teeth, and 
said: 

"Have I the honor of addressing Colonel Roose- 
velt?" 

Mr. Roosevelt acknowledged his identity; and 
when I arrived he was seated with one foot under 
him, in the editor's chair, making himself very 
much at home. He stated his errand, and later en- 
gaged my daughter as his secretary. 



THE veritable avalanche of letters showered 
upon Mr. Roosevelt was started by the news- 
papers and magazine writers after he arrived from 
San Juan. When word was received by the Pilot 
that Colonel Roosevelt was on his way home from 
Cuba via Montauk Point, the editor realized that 
Colonel Roosevelt was looked upon as a hero, and 
that a good news story was in sight. He rode 
around the village on a bicycle, stirred up the 
people, told them that their famous fellow towns- 
man should be received with honors, and at five 
o'clock in the afternoon a crowd gathered at the 
depot. 



SOLDIER 3 

Then it became known through a telegram re- 
ceived by Mrs. Roosevelt that Colonel Roosevelt 
had been stalled at Jamaica, L. I., and would 
not arrive in Oyster Bay until seven o'clock. 

Everybody went home to supper and told every- 
body else, and at seven o'clock it seemed as though 
the entire population of the village had congre- 
gated around the railroad station. 

A huge bonfire was lighted, and when the train 
arrived there was a howling, cheering mob of 
people to greet the Colonel who was dressed in 
his khaki uniform. So great was the crush that 
a horse near the railroad station platform was 
lifted from its feet and thrown bodily over on its 
back ; the clothes were literally torn from a little 
girl ; and hats were scattered everywhere. 

Across the main street in front of the Pilot 
office hung a banner bearing the words: 



WELCOME COLONEL! 



When Colonel Roosevelt passed under it, he rose 
in his carriage, took off his hat and exclaimed : 

"This is, indeed, a surprise !" 

Realizing the importance of getting the story to 
the newspapers, the editor rushed to the depot, but 
the station agent was about to leave and refused 



4 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

to telegraph more than twenty-five words. Board- 
ing a train about to leave for New York, the scribe 
wrote a story en route, and hustled it to the office 
of the New York Herald. Taking the elevated 
train in New York he wrote another story and 
left it at the New York Sun office. Then he 
telephoned a skeleton story to the Standard News 
Association, which was a branch of the Associated 
Press. Sunday rrjorning all the newspapers car- 
ried the story with "scare" heads, and Monday 
morning a dozen reporters and special writers 
arrived in Oyster Bay. 

Colonel Roosevelt's mail was actually pouring in 
by the bushel from all sections of the country. He 
secured additional help from the village, and final- 
ly I went dowm to Sagamore Hill and took a hand 
at helping with the mail ; but the Colonel was so 
insistent upon showing me the contents of his gun 
cabinet and his numerous trophies, that his 
secretary declared we were both more of a hin- 
drance than a help. 

One day the Colonel stood near an open window 
affectionately patting a Winchester rifle slung 
across his arm, when the window suddenly went 
down with a terrific crash. I jumped to one side, 
but the Colonel never moved a muscle, remarking 



SOLDIER 5 

coolly that he had received worse shocks than that 
while going up San Juan Hill. 

From this time on I was afforded innumerable 
opportunities to study Theodore Roosevelt from 
many different angles, and I always found myself 
coming back to first impressions, namely: that 
he had a powerful personality, and possessed an in- 
definable magnetism that drew one to him, but 
he would brook no undue familiarity. 



VARIOUS reasons have been given as the 
secret of Mr. Roosevelt's remarkable hold 
on the public. Mr. John J. Leary, Jr., in his 
interesting "Conversations with Roosevelt," pub- 
lished in McClure's, says that Mr. Roosevelt's own 
explanation of his ability to carry a crowd with 
him was given in one word : "Sincerity." An ac- 
quaintance declared it was because "Roosevelt's 
words carried a punch" ; and another, because "the 
Colonel always had something to say." 

Col. Roosevelt was once asked by a senator why 
he (Roosevelt) was so popular with his soldiers. 

"I do not know," responded the Colonel, "except 
that I always slept with my men in the trenches." 

Venturing an opinion from the viewpoint of a 
neighbor who studied Mr. Roosevelt and his meth- 



6 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

ods from close range, I believe that the basic rea- 
son for his wonderful hold upon the public was the 
fact that he was the greatest "mixer" among the 
people that this country has ever produced, or 
probably ever will produce. He always did the 
right thing at the right time. Another strong 
point is the fact that he never permitted a letter 
to go unanswered, whether it came from the 
King of England or from the grocer at the cross- 
roads. 

He delighted in keeping in constant touch with 
the public through handclasp and correspondence, 
so when he appeared before a crowd he was looked 
upon as a personal friend, and had the hearty sym- 
pathy and entire confidence of his hearers. And 
when receiving visitors, he gave the same hearty 
consideration to his gardener at Sagamore Hill 
as he would accord the most prominent visitor at 
the White House. 

Many interesting instances may be cited to dem- 
onstrate Mr. Roosevelt's cordial nature and his 
impulsive manner. 

My sister is the widow of a veteran of the Civil 
War. She was asked if she would like to meet 
a real live President of the United States. Her 
reply was : 

"He's only a man." 



SOLDIER 7 

Mr. Roosevelt was asked, over the 'phone at 
Sagamore Hill as to whether he would receive her. 
His immediate response was: 

"Bring the lady right up." 

When she arrived, President Roosevelt brushed 
aside all formality, and came out on the veranda 
to personally greet her, exclaiming: 

"Delighted my dear lady! I am proud to meet 
you, for you are the widow of a hero of a great 
war, while I only figured in a very small one." 

Of course, the lady left Sagamore Hill filled with 
praises for Mr. Roosevelt, and she remained his 
ardent and life-long friend. Occurrences like these 
happened daily. Is it any wonder that Theodore 
Roosevelt had a strong hold upon the people? 

At the busiest period in Mr. Roosevelt's career 
he found time to write to an old friend and 
neighbor. 

The following letter, received by the author, 
affords another instance not only of his big-heart- 
edness and fidelity, but further explains how he 
gained and retained his hold on the people : 

Oyster Bay, Long Island, 

February, 1906. 
My Dear Mr. Cheney : — 

Busy though I am, I must tell you how I appreciate your 
letter. Will you give my warmest regards to your daughter. 



8 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

and tell her I always think of how amused she was over 
Archie, when Archie was a little fellow. It does me good 
to hear from as straight an American as you are. 
Faithfully yours, 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 



Referring to his regiment in his book "The 
Rough Riders," Colonel Roosevelt wrote : 

They were the finest fellows, and they were dead game. 
It was the privilege of a lifetime to have commanded such 
a regiment. It was a hard campaign, hut they were 
beautiful days — and we won. 

In a speech made at Charleston, S. C, April 9, 
1902, President Roosevelt said of the veterans of 
the Civil War : 

All of us, North and South, can gloi'y alike in the valor 
of the men who wore tlie blue and of the men who wore 
the gray. Those were iron times, and only iron men could 
fight to its terrible finish the giant struggle between the 
hosts of Grant and Lee, the struggle that came to an end 
thirty-seven years ago this very day. To us of the present 
day, and to our children's children, the valiant deeds, the 
high endeavor, and abrogation of self shown in that struggle 
by those who took part therein, will remain for evermore 
to mark the level to which we in our turn must rise when- 
ever the hour of the Nation's need may come. 



SOLDIER 9 

The following vivid description of the battle of 
San Juan Hill is taken from the New York Sun : 

When they came to the open, smooth hillside there was 
no protection. CiiUets were raining down at them, and shot 
and shell from the hatteries were sweeping everything. There 
was a moment's hesitation and then came the order: "For- 
ward ! Forward !" Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt waving his 
sword. Out into the open the men went, and up the hill. 
Death to every man seemed certain. The cracking of the 
Mauser rifles was continuous. Out o£ tlie hrush came the 
riders. Up they went, with the colored troops alongside of 
them, not a man flinching, and forming as they ran. Roose- 
velt was a hundred feet in tlio lead. Up, up they went in 
the face of death, men dropping from the ranks at every 
step. The Rough Riders acted like veterans. It was an 

inspiring sight and an awful one Men dropped 

faster and faster but others took their places. Roosevelt 
sat erect on his horse holding his sword and shouting for 
his men to follow him. Finally his horse was shot from 
under him, but he landed on his feet and continued calling 
for his men to advance. He charged up the hill afoot. . . 
. . . At last the position was won and the block-house 

captured In the rush more than half of the 

Rough Riders were wounded. 

In disbanding the Rough Riders Colonel Roose- 
velt said: 

I know what you were in the field. You were brave 
and strong. I ask now of you that every man shall go back 
and serve his country as well in peace as he did in war. I 
can trust you to do it. 



10 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT was deeply moved 
by the spontaneous demonstrations of ap- 
proval accorded him by his neighbors from time 
to time ; and in later years frequently referred to 
the occasions as being the pleasantest moments of 
his life. 

After his arrival from San Juan, much of Mr. 
Roosevelt's time was taken up with the affairs of 
his Rough Rider regiment, and important political 
matters. It was not until after he was elected 
Governor that he took an active interest in local 
matters. 

When his name was prominently mentioned as 
the probable candidate for Governor of New York 
State, and immediately after his nomination for 
that offiCe, there commenced a steady inflow of 
political pilgrims to Sagamore Hill, through the 
village of Oyster Bay and by water craft. Oyster 
Bay was then considered as being "on the map," 
and experienced an ever-increasing boom up to the 
time Mr. Roosevelt ended his career in the White 
House. 



"I put myself in the way of things happening 
and they happened," is the way Theodore Roose- 
velt explained his good luck. 



WHILE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK STATE 



c 



CHAPTER 11. 



1 






ILJJ 



^:^i£^^ 




OVERNOR ROOSEVELT quickly recog- 
nized the honors bestowed upon him by 
his fellow townsmen. After his election 
as Governor, to show his neighbors that 
he fully appreciated what they had done 
for him, he gave a reception to his friends 
in the village of Oyster Bay, on the evening of 
Monday, November 26, 1898, selecting Sheriff Je- 
rome B. Johnson, a close personal friend, to take 
charge of the affair. 

To be personally entertained by the Governor- 
elect of the greatest state in the Union was con- 
sidered an honor seldom vouchsafed to a village 
the size of Oyster Bay, and his fellow citizens held 
their heads a little higher after shaking hands 
with a real live Governor. 

The reception was held in the lodge rooms of 
Arbutus Council, Royal Arcanum. When the 
people left the hall they passed through an ante- 
room where the handsome sword presented to 



14 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Colonel Roosevelt on a former occasion, was on ex- 
hibition. On one side of the blade was etched the 
following inscription : 

Presented to Theodore Roosevelt, Colonel of the First 
United States Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders) by the 
Citizens of Oyster Ray, Long Island, September 21, 1898, in 
recognition of gallant service rendered to the nation in the 
war with Spain. 

On the reverse side, also in etching, were em- 
blems indicative of the triumph of civilization over 
barbarism. 

Those who received with the Governor were Mrs. 
Roosevelt; Mrs. Douglas Robinson, Col. Roose- 
velt's sister, and Mr. Douglas Robinson ; the Rev. 
Homer H. Washburn, rector of the church at- 
tended by Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt; Rev. John L. 
Belf ord, pastor of St. Dominic's Church ; the Rev. 
Cha^. S. Wightman, pastor of the Baptist Church ; 
the Rev. Alexander G. Russell, pastor of the Pres- 
byterian Church ; the Rev. W. P. Estes, pastor of 
St. Paul's M. E. Church; representatives of the 
local churches. 

The ushers selected were : Messrs. Thos. Ellison, 
Maurice E. Townsend, A. Burnside Cheshire, Dan- 
iel W. Barto, Albert M. Bayles, A. J. Hutchinson, 
F. W. Bonifer, Wm. S. Moore, George B. Stoddard, 
Frederick Richardson, and A. L. Cheney. 












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Copyright, 1905, by From the Broadway Magazine, 

Horace McFarland Co. September, 1907. 



As Col. Roost'volt appeared in action. 



GOVERNOR 15 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S first letter to me 
was sent from Montauk Point, where he 
was temporarily stationed. It was written in long 
hand by one of the Rough Riders who acted as his 
secretary. I had mailed Mr. Roosevelt several 
of my stories taken from the New York Herald and 
the New York Times. He acknowledged their re- 
ceipt promptly, and said he was particularly 
pleased with the article paying tribute to the 
colored troops for their bravery at San Juan. He 
believed in giviyig every man a square deal. 



Colonel Roosevelt at the expiration of his term 
as Governor presented to the Oyster Bay library 
the official chair used by him in the Governor's 
room at Albany. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT was as tenacious 
as a bull dog when it came to a question of 
right or wrong, and he never let up until a wrong 
was righted. I recall one instance, as an illustra- 
tion: Some time after Mr. Roosevelt was elected 
Governor I received a telephone message from Col. 
Wm. J. Youngs, his private secretary, summoning 
me to meet Governor Roosevelt immediately at 
Col. Young's summer home in Oyster Bay. 



16 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Arriving at what is known as the Cove, I found 
Governor Roosevelt in Col. Young's study, dressed 
in riding togs, strenuously pacing back and forth, 
vigorously tapping his boots with his whip. He 
explained that he desired me to act as a special 
courier for the purpose of delivering an important 
document to a certain alleged recreant official, who, 
it appeared, was trying to evade (or prolong 
until after a specified date) service of the paper. 
Another courier had been dispatched to Albany 
in case the man happened to be at the Capitol. 

Turning to me the Governor said : 

"You thoroughly understand the importance of 
this mission?" 

**Yes, indeed. Governor," I replied. 

"And you are quite sure you can immediately 
reach the man if he is in the city ?" 

"You can always depend upon a newspaper man 
to make good," I answered. 

"By George, you're right! They generally man- 
age to meet me!" he shot back, with a squeaky 
emphasis on the word "me." 

The document was successfully placed in the 
hands of the party to be reached, but I made haste 
to leave the man's presence before he discovered 
that he had been trapped by the Governor ! 



GOVERNOR 17 

MR. ROOSEVELT detested sham and hated a 
liar. One day while I was in his office a 
very prominent politician was admitted to see him 
in behalf of a man seeking an important office. The 
visitor started in to expatiate on the man's splen- 
did character and ability, when Mr. Roosevelt 
turned to him and snapped out : 

"See here, Blank! If you will put in writing, 
over your oivn signature, what you are telling me, 
1 will consider the appointment." 

The man would not consent to do this, and the 
appointment was never made. The man espoused 
bore a shady reputation, and Mr. Roosevelt knew 
it. 

Singularly enough, that very day I had clipped 
from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle the following polit- 
ical excerpt, and taking it from my pocket, after 
the man departed, handed it to Mr. Roosevelt 
without comment : 

The area of the lie in politics is diminishing. The era 
of the lie in politics is coming to an end. The omnipotence 
of the liar iu politics ceased long ago. The existence of the 
lie in politics still remains, but its potency is decreasing, and 
before long, under the keen sunlight of publicity, which 
means reporters, stenographers, typewriters, the mouths of 
delegates, the speech of men, the augmenting morality of 
law and the growing strength of public opinion, the role of 
the liar in politics will become so contemptible that the liar 



18 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

everywhere else will be careful to toll the truth whei-e folk 
can see him and pass on him. 

Mr. Roosevelt's face was a fine study in expres- 
sion during his perusal of the crisp paragraph con- 
cerning the "short and ugly word," for of all 
public men he had been an undeserving victim 
of the political lie. 

At the conclusion of the reading Mr. Roosevelt 
made some very illuminating comments. I shall 
not attempt to quote him verbatim, but he was of 
the opinion that the political lie would never die, 
except to be replaced by one of like ilk or superior 
in mischief to its defunct predecessor; that it is 
always alert and full of business, while the truth 
goes begging for customers. 

Woe betide the man who crosses the path of the 
political shyster. More reputations have been 
ruined secretly by the political system of "queer- 
ing" than by any other method. 

It is an accepted fact that unscrupulous politi- 
cians are appointed to positions of high trust, 
while the honest, hardworking, deserving, sincere 
lover of good government is relegated to the rear 
by circumstantial lying. The lies vary in kind in 
accordance with the characteristics and genius 
of the liar. If the man in power who is to be 
approached by the political Ananias is clean, in- 



GOVERNOR 19 

dependent and upright, he is all the more easily 
imposed upon. 

When the political trickster is elevated over the 
heads of deserving men, there are few, if anj^ pro- 
tests against the appointment, because the men 
directly interested realize that the obnoxious ap- 
pointee by virtue of the new power vested in him 
would make it decidedly unpleasant for them. 

In his writings Mr. Roosevelt declared that "it 
has been well said that the most uncomfortable 
truth is a safer companion than the most pleasant 
falsehood." He further said: 

There are in the body politic, economic and social, many 
and ,u;rave evils, and there is urgent necessity for the 
sternest war upon them. There should be relentless exposure 
of and attack upon every evil man wlietlier politician or 
business man, every evil practice, whether in politics, in 
business, or in social life. I hail as a benefactor every 
writer or speaker, every man who, on the platform or in 
book, magazine or newspaper, with merciless severity makes 
such attack, provided always that he in his turn remembers 
that the attack is of use only if it is absolutely true. 
The liar is no whit better than the thief, and if his 
mendacity takes the form of a slander, he may be worse 
than most thieves. 

Mr. Roosevelt knew every trick in the fascina- 
ting game of politics, and was therefore not easily 
imposed upon. 



20 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Here is an instance of an active political lie: 
Once when Mr. Roosevelt v^as a candidate for 
President of the United States, a political shyster 
employed in a government department, visited 
Oyster Bay, and also the personal tax department 
in Washington, D. C, to inspect the tax records for 
the ostensible purpose of reviving the old charges 
made against Mr. Roosevelt as a tax-dodger, which 
charges had been proven untrue. 

At Washington, when he entered the tax office, 
this political Shylock, bent upon getting several 
pounds of Roosevelt "flesh," opened up the vials 
of his wrath against Mr. Roosevelt with a string 
of the vilest kind of abuse. I was then acting 
chief clerk of the personal tax division, and lis- 
tened to the man's tirade in amazement, but ex- 
tan ded to him every courtesy of the office. 

Needless to say he discovered nothing to in- 
criminate Mr. Roosevelt. He claimed that he had 
been sent by the Treasury Department to investi- 
gate, which was, of course, a very rank lie. It 
was simply the personal grievance of a disgruntled 
politician against Mr. Roosevelt. 



Apropos of the question of personal tax in the 
District of Columbia, the author believes he will 
be doing the public a good service by devoting a 



GOVERNOR 21 

few pages of this book to the subject, as people 
the country over are affected by a law which is 
none too popular. 

Being Chief Clerk of the personal tax division 
at the present writing, and having been connected 
with the department for the past eleven years, the 
writer can explain its workings of his own knowl- 
edge. 

During the month of February in each year the 
Board of Personal Tax Appraisers, together 
with the assistant assessors of real es- 
tate, with the assessor as chairman, acting as 
a Board of Appeals, sitting from the first Monday 
in February to the second Monday in March, starts 
in to "pepper" the taxpayers with assessment 
notices, which at once begin to smart and burn 
deep into the aggrieved mind of the receiver, who 
has failed to comply with the law. Thousands of 
these trouble-breeding notices are scattered broad- 
cast. Soon the whole District of Columbia is 
in an uproar, figuratively speaking — a howling, 
snarling, protesting populace, and the ominous 
sounds are echoed and reechoed by mail from all 
the prominent cities in America, as well as from 
cross-roads ; from the Philippines, Cuba, Honolulu, 
from battleships on the high seas, and from points 
in far away Europe. 



22 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

The "outraged" local contingent go trooping in 
before the Board of Appeals by twos, by fours and 
by hundreds. Senators, representatives, high gov- 
ernment officials, lawyers, doctors, merchants, 
tradesmen, and women of high and low degree, 
brush elbows, swap sympathy and argue desper- 
ately in one common cause. 

Much spirit was added to the proceedings one 
day when "Uncle Joe" Cannon, smarting under the 
imposition of an automobile tax, strode abruptly 
into one of the rooms and startled the clerks by 
exclaiming in a highly-keyed voice : 

"Who is the Czar here?" 

After learning the nature of his errand, one of 
clerks piloted Mr. Cannon to headquarters where 
he succeeded in convincing "the powers that 
be" that the automobile in question was not his 
property, but was owned by the United States 
Government. As the former "Czar" of the House 
of Representatives made his exit, he remarked 
jokingly: "That is the automobile that Champ 
Clark was afraid to ride in because he thought it 
would lose him votes." 

The section of the law most generally 
misunderstood is the one relating to the 
penalty of twenty per cent, imposed by act of Con- 
gress on all persons owning personal property in 



GOVERNOR 23 

the District of Columbia, who fail to make a re- 
turn in July of each year, the fiscal year beginning 
July 1, and ending June 30. Members of the 
Cabinet, senators, congressmen. Army and Navy 
officers, prominent newspapers having branch of- 
fices in the District of Columbia, and non-residents 
the country over, possessing taxable personal prop- 
erty in the District are caught in the meshes of this 
law, incurring extra payment on their tax, the 
Board of Personal Tax Appraisers having no 
power to set aside or cancel the penalty so imposed. 
A special act of Congress is required to remove the 
penalty. 

Personal notification is not called for under 
the law as to making returns ; the assessor giving 
three days' notice in the newspapers to the effect 
that the blank schedules will be ready for distri- 
bution to the public July 1. 

Failure to see this announcement, and the fact 
that an exemption of $1,000 applies where 
the household and other belongings are owned by 
the occupant of any dwelling house or other place 
of abode, in which such household and other be- 
longings may be located, are the little "jokers" 
(for which, of course, the District is not responsi- 
ble) that swell the treasury every year with thous- 



24 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

ands of dollars representing penalty tax. Furni- 
ture rented out or placed in storage is not exempt. 
Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and taxpayers 
must pay the penalty for their ignorance or negli- 
gence. Army and Navy officers labor under the 
mistaken impression that they are not subject to 
taxation in the District of Columbia. Under the 
laws they are properly assessable the same as other 
residents if their personal belongings (tangible 
property) are in the District of Columbia July 1, 
at which time the assessments are levied ; provided 
that such belongings are not taxed in another 
jurisdiction for the current fiscal year. 

The intangible personal property tax amend- 
ment provides for the taxation of certain intan- 
gible personal property of any person, firm, asso- 
ciation, or corporation resident or engaged in 
business within the District of Columbia. It 
is unlawful for any person to enter the District 
of Columbia subsequent to June thirtieth of each 
year and establish a place of business for the sale 
of goods until a sworn statement of the value of 
such stock has been filed with the assessor ; a pro- 
rata bill being immediately rendered and collecta- 
ble in three days, at the end of which time if not 
paid, the owner is subject to distraint by the 
Collector of Taxes. 



GOVERNOR 25 

Aa.-essments of intangible personal property un- 
der the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1917, 
as an amendment to the original Act of July 1, 
1902, causes additional trouble for the taxpayers, 
and proves to be exceedingly unpopular. It in- 
cludes the taxation of stocks, bonds, mortgages, 
notes, monies, etc. ; and the total intangible assess- 
ments the first fiscal year amounted to nearly 
three hundred million dollars, the tangible assess- 
ments reaching sixty million dollars more; the 
combined tax being about two million and a half 
dollars. 

These assessments are handled by the clerks 
nine different times before the final levy is made, 
and must be reported to the Treasury Department 
without the deviation of one cent. 

The Commissioners have caused to be printed a 
pamphlet containing the laws relating to taxation 
of personal property in the District of Columbia, 
to and including July 31, 1919. 

The penalty of 20 per cent, brings forth many 
odd as well as pitiful appeals. One man wrote : 

Dear Mr Assessor : 

I am sorry I did not get this in sooner. But try and 
be merciful. If you can't be merciful be as merciful as yon 
can. 

A Red Cross woman mailed her personal tax 
return from Italy. Accompanying it was a letter 



26 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

from her Washington attorney v/ho stated that 
notwithstanding the fact that the woman was 
ill at the time, she had travelled a distance of 
seventy-five 7niles on a railroad train, at a cost 
of $15.00, in order to make oath before a United 
States Consul that she might save the penalty of 
20 per cent, (the penalty period expiring a fev/ 
days after she made the journey). The woman 
declared that the trip had been "a day of torture." 

As the penalty is imposed by Act of Congress, 
the Commissioners of the District of Columbia are 
not to be held responsible for these hardships. 

No blame attaches to Congress. The penalty 
IS necessary in order to make people comply with 
the law. The only remedy to be applied is a good 
stiff dose of the medicine prescribed by the late 
Joseph Pulitzer : "Publicity." Educate the people 
up to the requirements of the law. Strive in every 
way to give them "a square deal." 



Some years ago, Mr. Wm. P. Richards, Assessor 
of the District of Columbia, was of the opinion 
that no assessments under $1,000 should be ac- 
cepted. It was figured out that the District would 
be deprived of only $50,000 out of a tax of about 
a million and a quarter if the law was so amended. 

Such a course would certainly wipe out a lot 



GOVERNOR 27 

of hardship suffered by the poorer classes, and also 
do away with the annoyance to which scores of 
people inside and outside of the District of Colum- 
bia are yearly subjected. It would also enable the 
assessors and the clerks to expedite the work on 
assessments of far more importance. 

Strange to say, the right of franchise is denied 
the District of Columbia, and the residents, there- 
fore, have no representative in Congress. The 
professional men and merchants of the District 
are right up-to-date in everything they undertake, 
and rank with the best business men in the coun- 
try. Being necessarily called upon to handle big 
events in the National Capital, the duty is per- 
formed in a masterly manner- They are very 
heavy taxpayers both on real and personal prop- 
erty. 



"No body of public servants, no body of individ- 
uals associated in private life, are better worth 
the admiration and respect of all who value citi- 
zenship at its true worth, than the body composed 
of the teachers in the public schools throughout 
the length and breadth of this Union." — Theodore 
Roosevelt. 



28 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

THE eyes of the country are at present focused 
upon Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., who is follow- 
ing in the political footsteps of his father and any- 
thing concerning his youthful days will be of in- 
terest now. 

At Sagamore Hill, standing under the head of 
a magnificent stag, beautifully mounted, in the 
Governor's library, I had my first handshake with 
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. 

Simplicity is the ruling characteristic in the 
Roosevelt household, and I v/as not surprised to see 
the Governor ignore ceremony and step to the 
front of a stairway and cry, "Ho, Teddy!" And 
down the wide stairway appeared little Teddy with 
measured tread and a matured swing of the body. 
The manly little fellow grasped my hand cordially, 
and said in a slow, emphatic tone : 

"I am very glad to meet you." 

As a boy I found Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., a 
most interesting study. He was the exact opposite 
of the average youngster. No character in the 
juvenile world at that time was more original and 
striking than little Teddy Roosevelt. His manners 
did not court familiarity, but were rather awe- 
some. His tastes were mature, and he was de- 
lighted if he could do what his father did, of whom 
he was an ardent admirer. 



GOVERNOR 29 

No matter what the sport might be, he was al- 
ways ready to take part in it, heart and soul, — 
in fact, he was very apt to go beyond his strength. 
In winter he slid down Sagamore Hill on his skis 
and his sled, and in summer fished, bathed, rode 
his pet pony and took long walks in the woods 
through mud and water, and sometimes returned 
home soaked through and through. And in all 
these sports his father took part when he possibly 
could. 

Teddy, Jr., was also fond of gardening, and 
frequently donned the conventional blue overalls, 
helping the gardener hoe, and riding about in the 
farm wagons. 

One day, while the governess was giving young 
Teddy a lesson on the piano, he stopped in the 
middle of an exercise and rattled off, without the 
slightest hesitation : 

"Theodore Roosevelt, Police Commissioner, 
Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Colonel of the 
Rough Riders and Governor of Nev/ York State," 
much to the amusement of his teacher. 

Colonel Roosevelt has been pronounced a great 
naturalist, having acquired his knowledge of birds 
and animals in early boyhood, and is known to 
have been very happy in association with natur- 
alists. 



30 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., is also a born natur- 
alist, and his museum was one to be proud of, 
containing a very large number of choice speci- 
mens. 

A STORY was told in Albany to the effect that 
when Mr. Roosevelt's eldest son came home 
one day from school covered with mud, face and 
hands scarred, the Governor asked concernedly : 

"What is the matter?" 

"Well," replied young Teddy, "a boy up the 
street made a face at me, and said, 'Your father's 
a faker.' He was a good deal bigger than I, but I 
wouldn't stand that, you know, so I just lit into 
him, and I had a pretty hard time. But I licked 
him." 

"That's right. That's right. I'm glad you 
licked him," were the parental words of approval. 

It is also said that two boys were fighting on 
their way home from school in Albany one after- 
noon, and a policeman who had separated them 
saw Governor Roosevelt coming and thought it a 
fine opportunity to impress the boys — and the 
Governor. Mr. Roosevelt listened, then asked the 
boys for their story. Their statements seemed to 
have the greater weight, for, turning to the police- 
man, he said emphatically : 

"Let 'em fight it out. It's good for them." 




Photo by Gildersloeve. 
JAMES DUTHIE 
Past Master of Matiiu'cock TvOtljie, F. & A. M.. at Oyster Bay 
Once ackii()\\io(lK<'«l as President Hoosovelt's "iioss." 

See Paee 3cS 




A Distinsnishotl Notificiition Committee at Sagamore Hill, li: 




CopyriKht 1904 by Underwood & Underwood 
the group are some of President Roosevelt's near neii:]il)ors. 



GOVERNOR 31 

MR. ROOSEVELT'S neighbors are fond of 
telling a story which they attribute to 
Kermit, who, when he was a little fellow, as the 
story goes, rushed into the house one day and 
exclaimed : 

"Father, come on out in the yard and see some- 
thing awfully funny." 

"I am busy ; what is it son ?" inquired Mr. Roose- 
velt. 

Kermit was insistent about the curious thing 
until finally his father said : 

"Well, has it got a tail?" 

"Why," replied the boy, "the darn thing is all 
tail !" 

Kermit had seen a snake, for the first time. 



Mr. Roosevelt was very much interested in 
local educational matters. I was at one time presi- 
dent of the Oyster Bay Board of Education, and 
earlier a trustee, when the new High School build- 
ing was erected. 

One day Mr. Roosevelt sent for me and asked if 
there was anything he could do to advance the in- 
terests of the Oyster Bay School. He was told that 
he was expected to lay the corner stone of the new 
school building and deliver an address. He seemed 



32 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

immensely pleased, and entered heartily into the 
exercises at the appointed time. 

Mr. Roosevelt evinced similar interest in the 
Oyster Bay Library and, in fact, in all the local 
institutions, contributing money, books, etc. 

He gave, through the Pilot, a sufficient number 
of books to establish a library in the A. M. E. 
Zion Church. 

The capacity of the High School Building hat) 
been greatly increased, and the facilities improved, 
largely through the energetic efforts of Mr. John 
F. Bermingham, President of the Board of Educa- 
tion, and Principal Whitaker. 



DURING his term as Governor, Mr. Roosevelt, 
when at Sagamore Hill, employed a secre- 
tary at his ov^n expense, instead of requisitioning 
a stenographer from the department at Albany, as 
the following letter will show : 

State of New York, Executive Chamber, 

Albany, Dec. 20, 1900. 
My dear Miss Cheney : 

Can you act as my stenographer in January? If so, 
will you come up to Sagamore Hill on the morning of the 

• Sincerely yours, 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 

He pursued the same course when he was vice- 
president. 



WHEN VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
STATES 



c 



CHAPTER III. 



ur 



1 



TU 




URING his term as Vice-President, Mr. 
Roosevelt was frequently absent from 
Oyster Bay for long periods, but always 
responded to the call of his neighbors 
when he was needed upon public occa- 
sions. He was requested to present the 
diplomas to the graduating class in the Oyster Bay 
High School, and responded promptly. 

A souvenir bouquet made of flowers from the 
White House conservatory was presented to each 
member of the class, and it made the graduates 
and their parents very proud and happy. 

Mr. Roosevelt took the keenest delight in acting 
as Kris Kringle each Christmas time at the Cove 
School. All through public life, Theodore Roose- 
velt never lost sight of School No. 10 at Oyster Bay 
where his two sons, Archibald Bulloch Roosevelt 
and Kermit Carow Roosevelt took the elementary 



36 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

steps of their education. Theodore, Jr., also 
learned his A B C's at Cove School, under the 
tutelage of Miss Sarah Provost, for whom Mr. and 
Mrs. Roosevelt entertained the highest regard. 



R- ROOSEVELT v/as deeply impressed when 
informed how the news of the attempted 
assassination of President McKinley first reached 
Oyster Bay. 

The New York World had a direct wire to 
Buffalo, and received the news almost immediately 
after Mr. McKinley was shot. The World editor's 
first thought was : 

"Where's Roosevelt?" 

Then : "Get Cheney at Oyster Bay." 

The connection was made immediately, and the 
editor's announcement was, of course a shock to 
me. Dropping the telephone receiver, I hastened 
to dispatch a message for Pickney, the White 
House steward, and another to Secretary Loeb. 

It was found that everybody connected with 
Sagamore Hill had left Oyster Bay that very after- 
noon, and no information could be obtained as to 
the whereabouts of Vice-President Roosevelt, who 
was absent on a hunting trip at the time. A bulletin 
of the tragedy was posted in front of the Riloi 
office in Oyster Bay before bulletins or extra pa- 



VICE PRESIDENT 37 

pers were issued in New York City. This fact 
was the subject of an article printed later by the 
Associated Press. 

How Mr. Roosevelt was reached, and his famous 
ride, are facts for the historian to record. 

Mr. Roosevelt had left no definite information 
with my daughter, who was acting as his secre- 
tary at the time, as to where he could be reached. 
He gave instruction to reply to every communica- 
tion received, using a form letter. This is another 
evidence of Mr. Roosevelt's pronounced habit of 
answering all letters sent to him. 

Following is a copy of a form letter used when 
Mr. Roosevelt was absent : 

Colonel Roosevelt is away in the Southwest and will 
not return until Inauguration Day, the 4th of March. Your 
letter will then be laid before liim ; but as his mail is so 
very large, you had better write him again at that time in 
order to ensure the matter being brouglit to l;is attention. 
Respectfully, 

A. B. CHENEY, Secretary. 

An amusing feature of the form letter was the 
fact that many writers mistook the secretary for 
a man. One party wrote : 

You have tlie reputation of being a Icindhearted young 
man, and I know you will use your influence with the Vice- 
President in my behalf. 



38 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

WHEN orator of Arbutus Council, Royal Arca- 
num, I was selected to wait upon Mr. 
Roosevelt and endeavor to secure his application 
for membership in Arbutus Council. At the time 
DeWitt Clinton Council, of Brooklyn, was forming 
a class of one thousand in a rival contest, and the 
newspapers prematurely announced that Mr. 
Roosevelt's application had been obtained, adding 
that he would probably be initiated with the class 
of one thousand candidates. There was a rush for 
application blanks, and the class filled rapidly be- 
fore the report could be denied. 

In the meantime it was ascertained that Gov- 
ernor Roosevelt had made application to join Ma- 
tinecock Lodge No. 806, F. and A. M., at Oyster 
Bay. Realizing that one "goat" at a time was 
about all he could possibly ride, even with his 
acknowledged strenuosity, further efforts on be- 
half of Arbutus Council ceased. 



Being a member of Babylon Lodge, No. 793, F. 
and A. M., I was present at the raising of Theodore 
Roosevelt. He was initiated into Matinecock 
Lodge, January 2, 1901, and was Vice President- 
elect of the United States at the time, having left 
the office of Governor of New York State at the 
end of the year of 1900. 



VICE PRESIDENT 39 

He was passed March 27, and raised April 24, 
1901. 

W. Brother Theodore A. Swan, a member of the 
summer colony, and one of Mr. Roosevelt's imme- 
diate neighbors, was Master of Matinecock Lodge 
when Brother Roosevelt was initiated, passed and 
raised. Brother Loeb, who was private secretary 
to Bro. Roosevelt, was his instructor. The officers 
of Matinecock conferred the first and second de- 
grees, except that R. W. Brother Joseph Cummings 
of Altair Lodge, gave the Middle Chamber lecture. 
The first section of the third degree was conferred 
by Matinecock's own officers; the lodge used its 
own officers in the subordinate positions in the 
second section, with Most Worshipful E. M. L. 
Ehlers, Grand Secretary, as Master ; the hard work 
being accomplished in the South by M. W. John 
Stewart ; in the West by M. W. William Brodie ; 
and in the East by M. W. John W. Vrooman, Past 
Grand Master. Brother Roosevelt was raised 
by M. W. Charles W. Meade, the then Grand Mas- 
ter, who was present with all his staff, who were 
received by R. W. William L. Swan. Matine- 
cock Lodge was mighty proud of the occasion. 

Admittance to the lodge room was by invitation 
only on the night Brother Roosevelt was raised, 
but the newspapers announced the great event. 



40 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

and hundreds of Masonic brethren went to Oyster 
Bay and were turned away. The usually quiet 
village streets had the appearance of a gala night. 

From the front steps of the building somebody 
shouted : 

"Make way for the treasurer !" and Capt. Alfred 
Ludlam, treasurer of Matinecock Lodge, pushed 
his way through the crowd. When he reached 
his desk he found that a pickpocket had "made 
way" with his purse containing a goodly sum of 
money. Several visiting detectives, members of 
the Masonic order, were also relieved of their valu- 
ables, but were too ashamed to "acknowledge the 
corn." New York crooks had read the newspapers 
and took advantage of a crowd in which they were 
least expected. 



AN INCIDENT connected with his member- 
ship in Matinecock Lodge furnished anoth- 
er demonstration of Mr. Roosevelt's democratic 
nature and his love of mixing with the plain 
people. 

One of the chaplains of the lodge, the late Rev. 
Alexander G. Russell, pastor of the Presbyterian 
Church at Oyster Bay, was an invited guest at a 
White House luncheon, when the question of 
Masonry happened to be brought into the general 



VICE PRESIDENT 41 

conversation, and it was found that every man 
present was a Mason. President Roosevelt de- 
clared he liked the idea of Masonry in that it 
brought all men to a common level, and made 
them feel the equal of everyone. 

"Do you know^," said the President, "that the 
Master of my lodge is just a working man, — a 
gardener for one of my neighbors in Oyster Bay ; 
but when I visit Matinecock Lodge he is my boss, 
and I must stand up when he orders me, and sit 
down when he tells me, and not speak unless he 
allows me." 

W. M. James Duthie, is the gardener referred 
to by the President. He was Senior Warden when 
Bro. Roosevelt was raised. He is a Scotchman of 
exceptionally good appearance, very gentlemanly, 
and exceedingly well read. He was Master of 
Matinecock Lodge three years during President 
Roosevelt's first administration — 1902, 1903 and 
1904. He was succeeded one year by W. Edward 
P. Waldron, and four years by W. George W. 
Downing. 

For the last four years Past Master Duthie 
has been Assistant Grand Lecturer. He never 
missed a meeting of his lodge during a continuous 
period of fifteen years. 



42 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

For ten years, Mr. Duthie was Chief Usher at 
Christ Episcopal Church, where Mr. Roosevelt 
worshipped. He had a most strenuous time seat- 
ing the people near the President's pew, and one 
Sunday a woman "crank" tried to have him ar- 
rested for preventing her from getting too near 
the President. 



President Roosevelt made frequent visits to the 
lodge, and was always eager to go. One night he 
entered the lodge room in the manner common to 
all Masons, and cast his eyes around for a seat, 
when the Worshipful Master said : 

"Brother Roosevelt, you will find a seat on the 
left." 

It so happened that the vacant seat was next 
to the one occupied by the writer. Brother Roose- 
velt's face was all aglow with happiness when he 
took his seat, and he turned and talked to his im- 
mediate brethren in the most informal manner. 

When the lodge went to refreshment. President 
Roosevelt mingled with the brethren, exclaiming : 

"By Jove ! This is great ! Great !" 

It seemed as though the social and political fet- 
ters had fallen from his shoulders, and he was 
free to talk and act to suit his own sweet will. 

On the night that Brother Roosevelt was 



VICE PRESIDENT 43 

raised, Brother Wm. Loeb, Jr., acted as his spon- 
sor. Strange to relate. Brother Loeb experienced 
a lapse of memory for an instant. Quick as a flash 
Candidate Roosevelt took up the broken thread, 
and the brethren showed their admiration and ap- 
preciation of the unusual incident by an out-burst 
of applause. 



IT IS interesting to note in this connection, that 
George Washington, the first President of the 
United States, was raised August 4, 1753, in Fred- 
ericksburg Lodge No. 4, of Virginia, dating back 
one hundred and forty-eight years previous to the 
raising in Masonry of Theodore Roosevelt, who 
was the twenty-sixth President of the United 
States. 

Mr. Washington was a charter member of 
Alexandria Lodge No. 22, Alexandria, Va., when 
said lodge was instituted, April 28, 1788. In 
1804, after his death, the name of this lodge was 
changed to the Alexandria-Washington Lodge. 
Washington was President of the United States 
from April 30, 1789 to March 4, 1797. At the 
time of Mr. Washington's death there were three 
doctors present, all of whom were Master Masons. 
Two of these, Drs. Dick and Craik, were members 
of his lodge; and the third. Dr. Brown, was the 



44 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Grand Master of Masons of the State of Maryland, 
being the fifth Grand Master. Worshipful Bro. 
Geo. W. Faller, past master of Matinecock Lodge, 
was the physician who attended Bro. Roosevelt in 
his last illness. 



BEFORE he became President of the United 
States, it had been the custom of Mr. Roose- 
velt, once a year, to hold a private reception for 
the reporters at Sagamore Hill, at which time 
the newspaper men would appear in evening dress 
and be highly entertained in the study for an hour 
or more listening to spirited stories, related in con- 
fidence, that would look mighty good in print, and 
would also bring a princely price. 

In writing the conventional biographies of 
great personages, little or no account is taken of 
the men who necessarily figure along the "firing 
line" or in the "trenches" of journalism. Hence 
"there's a reason" why a few pages of this book 
should be devoted to the splendid work accom- 
plished by the reporters stationed at Oyster Bay, 
and who entered into and constituted a large part 
of the affairs relating to the home-life of Theodore 
Roosevelt. He admired their pluck and gave them 



VICE PRESIDENT 45 

every encouragement, if deserving — in fact, he 
was their ''meal ticket." 



SPEAKING from long experience as owner, 
editor and publisher of several newspapers, 
I have found that the qualifications necessary for a 
successful reporter are varied and exacting. First 
of all he must have natural ability ; then the apti- 
tude for getting at the truth; the power to read 
human nature aright ; the industry for research ; 
the gift to assemble the facts and incidents so as 
to capture and hold the attention of the reader and 
please the sense of truth, pathos and humor. 

No matter how barren the facts or how 
meagre the information, when a reporter gets 
an assignment to cover a story, whether it be 
five hundred or five thousand words, he must be 
equal to the emergency, and the man who makes 
the best shov/ing of his talents naturally goes to 
the top. But it is done at the sacrifice of all 
pleasure and personal comfort. The reporter's 
first duty is to his paper at any and all times. 
When properly trained and thoroughly imbued 
with a sense of his duty, the reporter will brave all 
dangers and deny himself every luxury to subserve 
the best interests of his newspaper and to make 
a record for himself. 



46 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

The reportorial road to fame is a broad and an 
open one, full of great and brilliant possibilities for 
aspiring young men of talent, but it is not an easy 
thoroughfare to travel. It is paved with hard- 
ships and discouragements. The battle must be 
hard fought and unceasing. It is not an easy or 
a short step from the ranks of the private to the 
position of a general in command. 

Of all the professions in the world, that of the 
newspaper plodder, be he editor, correspondent, 
special writer or reporter, is the most exacting in 
its demands upon the brain and mind. Success is 
attained only through careful and indefatigable 
labor; but the reward is worth the effort. 

There are no prospects and no room at the top, 
in the field of journalism, for lazy men. It is one 
continuous grind, and the men or women who 
cannot withstand its exactions must eventually fall 
by the wayside. 

Arthur Brisbane "said it all" when he remarked 
to the writer one day: "Newspaper work is an 
awful drag." Mr. Brisbane has been largely com- 
pensated for his hard work through the inspira- 
tions people have received from reading his 
brilliant editorials. 

Reporters unquestionably formulate and sway 
public opinion. The editorial writer in order to 




Hon. BYRON K. NEWTUN 

Formerly First Assistant Secretary of the Fnited States 

Treasury, now Collector of the Port of New York, 

who arose from the newspaper ranks. 




JOHN C. KENXAllAX 

Formerly owner of the Oyster Bay Pilot and for twenty-two 
years a reporter on the Brooklyn Eagle. He hired a special locomo- 
tive on the Long Island Railroad to get a confession from Rugg, the 
murderer. He started life as a newsboy. 



3 o 






::■ -^ ►- 



X 



-« 3 






-: KG 



4^0 





Oyster Bay Pilot Newspaper Office 
where Mr. Roosevelt's letters of 
acceptance were ordered printed. 



VICE PRESIDENT 47 

keep in touch with public sentiment, must necess- 
arily build his ideas on the reporter's presentation 
of news facts, and the latter thus moulds, fash- 
ions and controls public prejudice, be it for good or 
for evil. 

No class of men in the world bring to their pro- 
fession so much loyalty, shrewdness, energy and 
capability as reporters. They must be omniscient 
and omnipresent. Their loyalty cannot be ques- 
tioned. They will sacrifice all personal comfort 
and pleasure rather than be beaten or miss a 
"scoop." 

The trained reporter has little time to think 
or study. He must generally act on the spur of 
the moment, and with rare good judgment and 
tact. If he makes a slip or misses an opportunity 
which proves of advantage to his competitor, he is 
at once in bad odor at the office, and is called 
down — a punishment every conscientious reporter 
dreads. His aim is to excel in his profession and 
to surpass his associates. 

Natural ability, training and experience make 
the successful special correspondent and reporter. 
A collegiate course does not fill the bill instanta- 
neously. A graduate fresh from college has yet to 
graduate from the reportorial school. There is a 
certain "twist" to be acquired, gained by the sue- 



48 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

cessful reporter only through practical experience. 
Your green college graduate, if sent on an assign- 
ment will give you an essay which will pass unread, 
while the trained reporter will dish up a brilliant, 
spicy story pleasing to both the eye and the senses, 
and one that will be devoured with avidity. 



AMONG the New York city pioneer reporters 
covering Oyster Bay, can be recalled Mr. 
Elmer E. Paine of the Associated Press, who was 
considered the dean of the group ; Messrs. Grahame 
of the Commercial Adve7'tiser, Livingstone of the 
Herald, Slaight of the Wo7id, Dennison of the S^m, 
Hazard of the Trihime, and Halstead (son of 
Murat Halstead) of the Times. 

Mr. John O'Brien, another reporter for the New 
York Sim at Oyster Bay, was appointed Dock 
Commissioner in New York. Mr. Harry Brown, 
at one time a well-known political writer for the 
New York Herald, was a frequent visitor to Sag- 
amore Hill, and always had ready access to Pres- 
ident Roosevelt. 

Edward Marshall, the famous war correspond- 
ent, who was shot at the battle of Las Guasimas, 
and lost a leg, was an active participant in one of 
the Roosevelt receptions. He became so enthu- 
siastic in the work that he caused handbills to be 



VICE PRESIDENT 49 

printed at his own expense, and hustled around 
on crutches to aid the reception committee. 

Changes were frequently made in the reportori- 
al personnel, the later list including Messrs. Byron 
R. Newton, Herald; Robert Bailey, Associated 
Press; Loren Palmer, Sun; Charles Hambidge, 
Times; William Hoster, American; and Vincent 
Cook, World. Mr. Elting Fowler, now dead, was a 
late comer for the Sun: also Mr. Hamilton of the 
Evening Sun; Mr. Pollock and Mr. Charles E. 
Shepherd of the Brooklyn Eagle; Mr. Warn of the 
New York Times, Mr. Harry Coleman of the Asso- 
ciated Press, Mr. Walter Funnell of the Brooklyn 
Times, and Mr. Thomas Kelly, Standard News 
Association. 

Fowler made a hit by writing up John Frank- 
lin's trout pond, or tank, which was located direct- 
ly under the bar at the Franklin Hotel near the 
shore. The tank contained many fine specimens 
of the trout tribe, and also kegs of beer for cooling. 
The place had been made famous by the metro- 
politan newspapers. One day a beer keg collapsed, 
and Fowler's description of the "drunken trout" 
was very funny and was widely copied. 

Fowler was highly elated when Mr. Roosevelt 
referred to the trout story and told him how 
thoroughly he enjoyed it. 



50 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Several of the newspaper men stationed at 
Oyster Bay became very prominent in public life, 
notably Mr. Byron R. Newton, who was appointed 
First Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under 
William McAdoo. He often, and very ably, filled 
the responsible position of Acting Secretary dur- 
ing the absence of Mr. McAdoo. Mr. Newton is 
now making good as Collector of the Port of New 
York. It is said that Roosevelt was once 
responsible for Mr. Newton's desertion from the 
newspaper ranks to enter public life. Mr. Robert 
Bailey was also appointed an Assistant Secretary 
of the Treasury ; but later retired to private life. 

MR. ROOSEVELT loved a good story and was 
very fond of almost any "catchy" song. 
Mr. Alfred J. Stofer, familiarly known as "Major" 
Stofer, one of Washington's pioneer newspaper 
correspondents, with a record of thirty years at 
the Capital, had two songs in his repertoire which 
he was in the habit of singing at the famous 
Gridiron Club's dinners that seemed especially to 
appeal to Colonel Roosevelt. 

There were a few songs Mr. Roosevelt became so 
familiar with that he invariably joined lustily in 
the choruses, when they were sung at the dinners 
which he attended in Washington, before and after 
becoming President. 



VICE PRESIDENT 51 

Mr. Roosevelt was not especially quick at learn- 
ing a musical air, but one of these songs, '*De 
Watermilion Hangin' on De Vine," was rendered 
so frequently at Gridiron Club dinners, that Col. 
Roosevelt had no difficulty in joining in the ring- 
ing chorus which was swelled by members and 
guests in all portions of the spacious room in 
which the dinners were given. 

If he did not sing in loud voice while the 
first verse of that song was going he showed his 
keen interest while the words were being reeled 
off as follows : 

Oh, de dew it am a fallin', dat 'miliou's gwiueter cool, 

An' soon it will be very, very fine ; 
But, bless yo' soul, my houey, dis darkey ain' no fool 

To leave it dar a hangin' on de vine. 

Oh, de ham bone am good, de bacon am sweet, 

'Possum meat am very, very fine ; 
But gimme, oh gimme, oil how I wish you would, 

Dat watermilion a hangin' on de \me. 

There are five verses in the song, and the one to 
which Col. Roosevelt specially warmed up was the 
fourth, as follows : 

Oh, de 'possum an' de tater am mighty good to eat — 
Some darkeys think dar's livin' in a liam ; 

But watermilion's eatin' dat nuthin' else kin beat, 
For it's loaded full of "Olory to de Lam.' " 



52 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Another song was the "Levee Bully," which was 
some years ago made famous on the stage by 
May Irwin, the popular actress. That entire pro- 
duction is musically so strenuous that it caught 
the fancy of the President completely. Major 
Stofer was on the program to render the bully 
song one night, and as it was certain that Col. 
Roosevelt would be the star guest of the evening, it 
occurred to the Major while shaving for the occa- 
sion, that he would take his razor to the dinner 
with him. This razor had a white ivory handle. 
Just before being called upon he threw the blade 
back and placed the razor in his coat pocket so that 
it could be flashed just as he reached the words in 
the song where the Tennessee darkey, supposed to 
be hunting for days and weeks for the "levee 
bully," finally got him cornered. As the words, "I 
drawed my steel dat gemman for to find." were 
uttered. Major Stofer was looking straight at Col. 
Roosevelt who was listening with intense interest. 
The Major flashed the razor. Instantly the Colonel 
sprang to his feet and gave such a whoop of de- 
light that it convulsed nearly every one in the 
central portion of the big banquet room with 
laughter. 

None of the reporters covering Col. Roosevelt 
were eligible for membership in Editor Rodemey- 
er's Bald Headed Club of America. 



AS PRESIDENT 



c 



CHAPTER IV. 



W"^^^^^^^^ 



1 




The 



iTSTER BAY being a centre of fashion and 
wealth, was vested with additional im- 
portance as the summer capital of the 
Nation. Merchants and tradesmen of all 
classes, during these fortunate summers, 
did a thriving business. 

presence of President Roosevelt put m 



circulation a large amount of money, expended by 
visitors who went to Oyster Bay from all over the 
country. The clerical force at the executive of- 
fices, which numbered more than two dozen people, 
many with families, left a large amount of money 
each year, as well as the Secret Service men, most 
of whom had their families there. The great 
number of newspaper men, too, added largely to 
the prosperity of the place. 

Once the President, his family and his assistants 
were gone, and the summer colonists took their 



56 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

departure, Oyster Bay resumed its Rip Van Win- 
kle-like sleep. 



MRS. ROOSEVELT lives very quietly, and 
shuns publicity. It is known that she 
always had unbounded faith in her husband's 
ability and power to command a future. She 
proved to be a great incentive to him in his work. 

Theodore Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow 
were great friends in early youth. The Roose- 
velts and the Carows were two of the foremost 
families in New York, and on terms of intimacy 
with each other. Edith Carow was then referred 
to as "a lovely and brilliant girl," just as her 
Oyster Bay neighbors refer to her now as "a 
beautiful character." Although socially promi- 
nent, she has always lived a very ordinary life. 
Her children possess her traits to a marked de- 
gree. 

Mrs. Roosevelt frequently visits the rooms of 
the St. Hilda Society of Christ Church, and en- 
gages, with the other members, in sewing for 
charity or for the annual fair. She is spoken of 
as "a very faithful member." 

The Society was founded by the late Mrs. Henry 
Homer Washburn, wife of the Rector of Christ 
Church, of which Mrs. Roosevelt is a member. 



PRESIDENT 57 

The Washburns were very highly thought of by 
the Roosevelts, The Rev. Mr. Washburn, who 
lives in New York City, is rector emeritus of 
Christ Church. His father was the author of the 
famous patriotic song entitled: "The Vacant 
Chair." 



FIVE children — three sons and two daughters — 
survive Colonel Roosevelt. The sons are: 
Capt. Archie Roosevelt and Col. Theodore Roose- 
velt, Jr., who were with the American forces in 
France and Capt. Kermit Roosevelt who was an 
officer in the American Expeditionary Forces, hav- 
ing enlisted in the British Army before the United 
States entered the war, being later transferred. 

The daughters are : Alice, wife of Congressman 
Nicholas Longworth of Cincinnati, Ohio; and 
Ethel, now Mrs. Richard Derby of New York. 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT frequently took a 
"short cut" to the executive offices from 
the White House, walking down a rear terrace. 
One day he found a policeman asleep while guard- 
ing the door to a back entrance. The President 
passed the sleeping guard, with a broad grin on 
his face. The man in charge of the grounds at 
the time, having learned of the incident, started 



58 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

to arouse and admonish the policeman, when 
the President raised his hand and exclaimed : 

"No! No! Don't wake him up — unless he 
snores." 



PERFECT harmony prevailed in the Roosevelt 
household at all times. This fact is testified 
to by every person employed at Sagamore Hill. 

Mrs. Edward Norris, nee Mary McKenna, of 
Washington, D. C, was for many years Mrs. 
Roosevelt's maid, and her services were very 
highly valued. When Mrs. Norris left the White 
House, President Roosevelt presented her with 
his latest portrait bearing the following inscrip- 
tion: 

February 11, 1909. To Mary McKeuua with all good 
wishes for her future from Theodoi-e Roosevelt. 

Mrs. Norris was particularly fond of the Roose- 
velt children. She says that Quentin Roosevelt 
possessed his father's qualities to a marked de- 
gree. Sometimes matters would go wrong on an 
"off day," as they are bound to do in every house- 
hold, when Mr. Roosevelt would say : 

"0, never mind ; that's all right !" 

Quentin often made the same remark. Mrs. 
Norris says that Quentin would frequently be 



PRESIDENT 59 

found in a corner 'Vith his nose in a book." At 
the time he was killed in the aviation service, 
Quentin bore a striking resemblance to his father. 
Miss Margaret McConvey, governess for the 
Roosevelt children, was extremely fond of Quen- 
tin, and grieved greatly over his death. Miss Annie 
Loftes, maid to Miss Alice, v/ent with her to Wash- 
ington when she became Mrs. Nicholas Long- 
worth. Miss Annie O'Rourke was the cook, Miss 
Rose McKenna, a waitress, and Miss Mamie Led- 
with, a -nurse. They all speak in the highest 
terms of the cordial manner in which they were 
treated by the whole Roosevelt family at Saga- 
more Hill. 



THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Roosevelt were 
very solicitous of the comfort and health of 
the people in their employ. Noah Seam_an, the 
superintendent of the Sagamore Hill estate, was 
an exceptionally fine man, and the President re- 
garded him highly, treating him almost like a 
brother, both in public and in private. Mr. Roose- 
velt was deeply affected when he learned of Sea- 
man's death, and considered it a personal loss. 

One time Mr, Seaman was critically ill when 
Mr, Roosevelt was at the White House, but the 



60 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

family did not acquaint the President with the 
fact. 

Mr. Roosevelt had previously asked me to keep 
him informed concerning certain people in Oyster 
Bay, — in fact, I vi^as a sort of "Handy-Andy" and 
a "bureau of information" for the entire executive 
force, as well as the New York newspapers gener- 
ally. 

I considered it my duty to write to the President 
and inform him of Mr. Seaman's serious condition. 
Mr. Roosevelt immediately sent a specialist from 
Washington to take charge of the case, and his 
prompt action at the time probably saved Seaman's 
life. 



MR. ROOSEVELT'S unceasing activity con- 
stantly developed exciting incidents, many 
of which never reached the newspapers because 
the facts were known only to the immediate family 
and the servants. The attaches of the Roosevelt 
household were very secretive, and would never 
divulge anything unless authorized to do so. 

Mr. Roosevelt was chopping down trees in the 
woods one day, when the axe slipped and he re- 
ceived a cut on the foot. He made light of the 
accident, but Superintendent Seaman, who was 
with him, fearing blood poisoning, insisted upon 



PRESIDENT 61 

his going to the house and having the wound 
dressed by Mrs. Roosevelt. This v^as told to me 
by Seaman, who requested that it be withheld 
from publication. 

Here is another startling incident that never 
reached the newspapers. 

Mr. Roosevelt was mounted on "Bleinstein," his 
favorite saddle horse, one morning, when the 
spirited animal suddenly shied and the President 
was thrown violently to the ground, near the 
house, striking on his head and shoulders. He 
was badly shaken up and felt the effects of the 
fall for several days. I was strongly tempted to 
write the story and get a "scoop." Again I was 
asked to treat the accident confidentially. 

Mr. Roosevelt and the family were being driven 
from Sagamore Hill on their way to church one 
Sunday, when the carriage came in close contact 
with a half-drunken man, making him very angry 
and he declared, with an oath, that if the coachman 
would get out of the conveyance he would knock 
his head off. 

The President instantly informed the coachman 
that he v/ould accept the challenge himself, and 
jumping from the carriage started for the man, 
who suddenly recognized Mr. Roosevelt and has- 
tened to apologize. 



62 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

T^HEODORE ROOSEVELT was truly a man of 
-*- action. He was never still, even in the 
hands of his private barber. Intimate friends who 
gathered about him at such times became nervous 
when Mr. Roosevelt gesticulated, or sometimes 
would spring out of his chair. 

"Isn't there danger of cutting the President?" 
some one much concerned asked the barber. 

"No, indeed. If he kept still I'd cut him sure," 
responded the tonsorialist, smilingly. 

On these occasions the President discussed af- 
fairs of state with Secretary Elihu Root, to whom 
he referred as "the invaluable Elihu" ; or with 
Senator Lodge, his avowed bosom friend ; or with 
Mr. Pinchot, Mr. Garfield and Dr. Lambert. 



ST. HILDA SOCIETY, in which Mrs. Roosevelt 
is deeply interested, will doubtless take an 
active part in raising funds for the Roosevelt 
Memiorial Park. Mrs. George E. Talmadge, wife 
of the rector of Christ Church, is president of the 
Society ; Mrs. Robert J. Ludlam, secretary ; and 
Mrs. Elbert Rushmore, treasurer. The other 
members comprise Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Mrs. 
Jesse Mollineaux, Mrs. Robert Spicer, Mrs. Frank 
Spicer, Mrs. Millie Lewis, Mrs. Fred Sammis, Mrs. 
Charles Wilkinson, Mrs. Edward Birchell, 




An Approved Pictur? 



Photo bv Pach Protheis. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

As lie appeared when President of the United States, 
during the first part of his administration. 



The piotuie on the opposite pajje was taken duriiii; the reception to 
his neighbor', at Oyster Bay, Septemljer If), 1902, when President Roose- 
velt gathered about him several of his neiglibors and a number of 
New York detectives on the veranda of his house, and called to •? 
photogi-apher to tal;e the group. The photographer had used up all of 
his plates, hut being (luick-witted, and realizing that a request was 
virtually a command from the President of the United States, hastily 
slipped into the camera a plate already exposed, thus making a double 
exposure, the picture being later enlarged and sent to President Roose- 
velt. 

1. Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States. 
'1. James E. Downing, Detective Sergeant, New York. 

3. J. H. Allen. Central Office Detective, New York. 

4. John T. Ruth, Central Office Detective, New York. 

5. John Becker, Central Office Detective, New York. 

6. William P. Sheridan, Detective Sergeant, Nevv- York. 

7. John J. Burke, Central Office Detective, New York. 

8. George T. Lawler, Detective National Park Bank, Nl'w York. 

9. Thomas Monday, Central Office Detective, New York. 

10. William F. Pcabody, Detective Sergeant, New York. 

11. Hon. Wm. J. Youngs, Member E.xecutive Committee, OystL'r Bay. 

12. Frank C. Travers, Chairman General Committee, Oyster Bay. 
Vi. William Loeb. Jr., Manager Oyster Bay Reception. 

14. Mr. Stone, Chief Usher, White House. Washington. 

15. Albert L. Cheney, Pres. Board of Education, Chr. Reception Com. 
l(i. A. P. Montant, Member Executive Committee, Oyster Bay. 

17. D. B. Shaw, Secret Service Agent, New York. 
IS. Mr. Pusey, Usher White House, Washington. 

19. James L. Long, Town Clerk, Secretary General Com. Oyster Bay. 

20. James H. Ludlam, Member Executive Committee, Oyster Bay. 

'2\. Jerome B. Johnson, Sheriff Nassau County, Member Executi\e Com. 
22. Mr. Fullerton. Special Deputy SherilT,. Hempstead, L. I. 




Photo by Arthur Hewitt, 1904. 

MRS. THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

And two sous, Archie and Qnentin, taken when at the 

White House. 



PRESIDENT 



63 



Mrs. Daniel Kraft, Mrs. Charles Boyer, Mrs. 
Fred A. Mills, Mrs. Herbert Phillips, Mrs. 
Elbert Tappen, Mrs. James Brice, Mrs. E. Ebbitts. 
Mrs. Edward Townsend, Mrs. Harry Townsend, 
Mrs. John Moore, Mrs. Wm. Reid, Mrs. Frank 
McQueen, Mrs. Maurice Townsend and the Misses 
Alice Reid, Hattie McCoun, Vida McCoun, Bessie 
Mills, Jennie Underbill, and Marie Groebel. 




Pacsimile of AutoKraph Card written by the president at the White 

Houne. 



64 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

QUESTIONS of his own finances or private 
business never entered Mr. Roosevelt's 
mind. He simply signed the checks and Mrs. 
Roosevelt or his secretaries did the rest. 

A shrewd local tradesman was seen coming from 
Sagamore Hill one day, seated on a big load of 
hay. A fellow townsman asked him if he had 
driven a sharp bargain with Mr. Roosevelt. 
"Roosevelt, me eye !" replied the man, and added : 
"I bought this hay from Mrs. Roosevelt, and 
gave her more than the market value because she's 
a mighty fine woman." 



AFTER Mr. Roosevelt was elected President, 
Oyster Bay became the mecca for cranks, 
but, thanks to the constant vigilance of the Secret 
Service men, few reached Sagamore Hill. Mr. 
William Craig, a Scotchman of Herculean propor- 
tions, killed in a street car accident in Pittsfield, 
Mass., while acting as the President's bodyguard, 
was very highly thought of in Oyster Bay. 

Craig, known as *'Big Bill," was a familiar figure 
on the streets of Oyster Bay, especially in the early 
morning hours. 

It v/as necessary for me to reach my office at an 
early hour, and I worked at a big window opening 
almost on a level with the sidewalk. 



PRESIDENT 65 

The reporters had designated three female 
cranks as the "Woman in Black," the "Woman in 
Red," and the "Woman in Blue," who were each 
seeking a personal interview with the President. 

These women were in the habit of coming to mj- 
open window and relating to me their real, or 
imaginary, wrongs ; importuning me to use my in- 
fluence with Secretary Loeb in their behalf. 

After they departed Mr. Craig would drop 
around and get a line on their talk, thus keeping 
in close touch with every questionable person. 

One morning Big Bill seemed to be very much 
perturbed over something, and finally volunteered 
the information that he had just called up one of 
the maids at Sagamore Hill, as was his usual cus- 
tom, and the 'phone was unexpectedly answered by 
the President himself. 

"I was so rattled that I dropped the receiver like 
a hot cake !" said Craig, and added : 

"Now, I wonder what the President will think?" 

I happened to know later that the President 
thought it a mighty fine joke on "Big Bill" ; and 
Mr. Roosevelt certainly loved a good joke. 

The following tribute in verse was paid to the 
memory of Craig: 



66 , THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

i 

By Frederick Parker Kam 
We had started out together from my home at Oyster Bay, 
On a A'isit through New England for a stumping tour one day, 
The month was August, Nineteen Two, and all felt blithe 

and gay, 
For the people gladly met us as we chanced to pass their way. 

The pleasures of that trip to me will long in memory cling, 
As I view again the flower-strewn streets and hear the 

children sing, 
But they tell us in the adage, "There's no rose without its 

thorn," 
And I feel mine stinging sorely when I think of him who's 

gone. 

We made a call at Boston and our welcome was sincere, 
We next drove o'er to Harvard, my Alma Mater dear. 
Then the smaller towns and cities our attention did attract. 
And we all had enjoyed ourselves 'ere we turned and started 
back. 

AVe next went to New Hampshire and then down into Maine, 
Then to visit Vermont had to cross New Hampshire once 

again ; 
From Vermont to Massachusetts we had safely made our 

way, 
When a tearful incident met us on that third September day. 

The second night at Dalton, Mass. we stopped with Governor 

Crane, 
We were up next morning and on our way again, 



PRESIDENT 67 

When an accident occurred to us, 'tis sad to here relate, 
That just this side of Pittsfield my old friend met his fate. 

We'd left Dalton bound for Lenox, Mass., were well upon 

our way, 
The people flocked to see us, 'twas a sweet Autumnal day. 
Our horses pranced most proudly as they carried us alons. 
And cries "Vive la President" rose from the surging throng. 

We were rolling on unconsciously when suddenly a cry, 
From Craig, our secret-service man, caused me to turn my 

eye. 
I saw an Electric Street Car with Madden at the grip, 
A making towards our landau at a most tremendous clip. 

I next saw Craig, my faithful friend, with hand well raised 

in air. 
He was shouting at his utmost to the motorman "Take Care," 
The next I knew it all seemed still, my head was aching sore. 
And I heard Crane say to Cortelyou that Craig would live 

no more. 

Now friends I've faced the enemy on San Juan's awful hill, 
I've viewed the blood-stained corpses in Death's grasp cold 

and still. 
But never in my whole past life has my heart ached so 

sincere, 
As it did that day for my dear friend Craig, who died that 

I might be here. 
'Twas hard my fellow citizens, but I tried to make the most. 
When I know that Craig my Shadow, was dying at his post, 
And I'm not ashamed to tell you that it almost took my 

breath. 
When I realized my Shadow gone who'd been faithful unto 

death. 



68 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

The other Secret Service men doing duty at 
Oyster Bay were: James Sloan, Frank Tyree, 
Richard Taylor, Stephen Cornell, and Joseph Mur- 
phy who is now Assistant Chief of the Secret Ser- 
vice Bureau in Washington. 



CRANKS go to ridiculous extremes in an en- 
deavor to reach prominent people or to se- 
cure souvenirs. Mr. Roosevelt's valet told of a 
ridiculous and embarrassing incident that hap- 
pened in a suite of rooms at a hotel v/hile Mr. 
Roosevelt was absent making a speech. 

A very stylishly dressed woman passed back 
and forth in front of Mr. Roosevelt's room, and 
then suddenly darted through the open door. Seiz- 
ing Mr. Roosevelt's coat which was hanging on a 
chair, she clasped it in her arms, and waltzed 
wildly around the room, exclaiming : 

"I've hugged him ! I've hugged him !" 

The valet was speechless with astonishment, and 
before he could recover himself sufficiently to act, 
the woman threw down the coat and rushed from 
the room, highly elated over what she had done. 

The valet feared to tell Mr. Roosevelt about the 
incident because he said the President would have 
been so disgusted that he might put the blame on 
him. 



PRESIDENT 69 

WHILE on duty in the office of tlie New Yorlc 
Herald I received a letter from Mr. John 
C. Kennahan, editor of the Long Island Farmer 
at Jamaica, stating that he was offered an opportu- 
nity to purchase from Mr. Edward N. Townsend 
the Pilot printing establishment at Oyster Bay, 
and wrote that he proposed to buy the plant if I 
would consent to act as publisher and manager of 
the paper. The consent was given, and this de- 
cision led up to my settling in Oyster Bay and to 
my close acquaintance later with Theodore Roose- 
velt. 

Mr. Kennahan, who died recently, was a v/onder- 
ful financier, and wielded a very caustic pen. He 
would go the limit for a friend, but never spared 
an enemy. 

He gave me carte blanche in editing the Pilot, 
and visited the office in Oyster Bay only occasion- 
ally. He took a keen interest in the paper, how- 
ever, and it grew to be his pet. It wielded con- 
siderable power in the town and county, and 
waxed prosperous. With the aid of his outside 
transactions the business increased tremendous- 
ly. During one year alone, the net income of the 
Pilot reached over fo7'ty thousand dollars, and in 
fact yielded a big profit every year. Being an of- 



70 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

ficial paper, it published the tax sales and redemp- 
tion notices. 

Mr. Kennahan owned two official papers in Nas- 
sau county and one in Queens. He obtained a 
monopoly of certain business in both counties. Gov- 
ernor Roosevelt's letter of acceptance was ordered 
printed in the Pilot office as an official document. 

Mr. Kennahan started life as a newsboy; acted 
as altar boy in St. Monica's Church, Jamaica ; and 
was for twenty-two years reporter on the Brooklyn 
Eagle. He reported the famous Rugg murder 
case, and by hiring a special locomotive of the 
Long Island Railroad, he secured the first confes- 
sion from the murderer. 

He owned an exceedingly fine home in Brook- 
lyn, and had a country seat at Great Neck, Long 
Island. He was very proud of his home and 
family. His wife, Eva, who survives him, is an 
exceptionally fine woman ; and his success in life 
was largely due to her ability and influence. He 
also leaves a son, Mr. George Hollis Kennahan. 
Three Nephews, Messrs. George H. and Cecil Ken- 
nahan, and Mr. James F, Sullivan, conduct a 
publishing business at Jamaica, L. I. 



PRESIDENT 71 

MR. ROOSEVELT was given to flash judg- 
ment, but would as quickly change his mind 
if a reasonable suggestion was made. He always 
acted on the impulse of the moment. 

Arriving at the White House from Oyster Bay 
one day, Secretary Loeb told me that the President 
wished to see me in his office. Entering the Presi- 
dent's room, I found him conversing very earnestly 
with Vice President Fairbanks and a Southern 
senator. The minute the President saw me he 
ended the conversation abruptly and rushed for- 
ward with both hands extended, exclaiming : 

"How are all the people at Oyster Bay?" 

Mr. Fairbanks and the senator stared at each 
other in utter amazement, as much as to say : 

"Who in thunder is that guy?" 

Later, when the President was about to welcome 
a big delegation of visitors, he told me to take a 
chair near a door of the reception room and 
watch the proceedings. Seated on the opposite 
side of the room was a reporter who had been 
given permission to watch the President in action. 
When the reporter's story appeared in print it 
bore the caption: 

"An Hour with a Mile-a-Minute President." 



72 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

NOTWITHSTANDING his great prominence 
and wide influence, Theodore Roosevelt was 
very democratic in his treatment of his deserving 
fellow citizens. 

Some men, when they attain high positions, look 
down upon less fortunate ones and appear to say : 

"It is very fine up here," and at the same time, 
in the selfishness and pride of their nature, actual- 
ly think : 

"I am awfully glad you can't get up beside me.*' 

Mr. Roosevelt never could be justly classed with 
the "I-am-better-than-thou" type of man, who 
delights to pose as something more select than the 
common herd. He never thought that everything 
outside of his set was "Dutch." 

One day a woman stenographer was sent from 
Scribner's Magazine to take in shorthand a story 
which the Colonel had agreed to dictate. She did 
not realize the difficulties she would encounter in 
getting the story. Mr. Roosevelt set an hour to 
meet her in the gun room, and when he did not 
appear at the appointed time, she walked the floor 
exclaiming : 

"When do you think I shall ever get that story?" 

Some one pointed to the window and said : 

"Look!" 

What she saw from the window was the Colonel 



PRESIDENT 73 

sliding down hill on skis with the children. Mr. 
Roosevelt appeared later, very apologetic and ex- 
tremely polite. 

AS I ENJOYED not only the confidence ol 
President Roosevelt, but also of Secretary 
George B. Cortelyou and Secretary Wm. Loeb, Jr., 
as well as the members of the "Summer White 
House" Executive force and the employees at 
Sagamore Hill, it was frequently more difficult to 
withhold "tips" than it was to get the news. Often 
a "leak" was attributed to me when I was absolute- 
ly innocent. 

Instructions had been given by Mr. Loeb to 
grant me access to the executive offices at Oyster 
Bay at all times. This liberty once caused me 
considerable embarrassment, but the incident final- 
ly proved to be rather amusing. 

When the death of Secretary Hay was hourly 
expected, the reporters were all on the alert to 
make the announcement by way of Sagamore Hill. 
My house telephone was installed at the head of my 
bed for instant use, and I slept very little the 
night Secretary Hay died, expecting every minute 
to get a "tip" from New York. 

Leaving the house very early in the morning, 
and while walking down to my office, I saw Mr. 
Elmer E. Paine of the Associated Press driving 



74 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

through the streets in a carriage. He had been to 
Sagamore Hill to see the President, and was in 
a great hurry, having received word that Secre- 
tary Hay was dead. Mr. Paine said he would give 
out the facts later. 

Shortly after, I sauntered into the executive 
offices, and on Secretary Loeb's desk found a long 
telegram of condolence from the President to Mrs. 
Hay to be given out, as I supposed. I made a copy 
of the telegram, rushed out and telephoned it to 
the papers in New York. 

Later, on the way to Mr, Paine's room, I met 
Mr. William Hoster of the New York American. I 
informed him that Mr. Paine had seen the Presi- 
dent and was to give out the story. When we met 
Mr. Paine he recounted his interview with the 
President, stating very carefully and most em- 
phatically that he had been intrusted with a tele- 
gram to be sent to Mrs. Hay, and that the Pres- 
ident said it must not he given out with the story. 
And I had already telephoned the message to 
New York ! 

Suddenly realizing that Mr. Paine had left the 
copy of the telegram on Mr. Loeb's desk, and that 
the despatch would be given to the public before 
it reached Mrs. Hay, I hastily excused myself, 



PRESIDENT 75 

rushed to the nearest telephone and tried to recall 
the telegram. 

I heard the day man, at the newspaper desk in 
New York, laugh uproarously and shout: 

"Cheney's got a 'scoop' and he's scared to 
death." 

Of course the Associated Press demanded an 
immediate explanation from Mr. Paine as to why 
the despatch had been omitted from his story. Nat- 
urally Mr. Paine was furious, and threatened dire 
things to the guilty parties, including the tele- 
graph operator and the colored messenger in 
charge of the executive ofRce, both being badly 
frightened. I was also afraid that my hasty 
action would put me in bad with the President. 
When Mr. Loeb reached his desk, after seeing 
Mr. Roosevelt, and said to me : 

"I see that you scored a beat on Paine this morn- 
ing," I breathed a deep sigh of relief. 



IT WAS never discovered how a stranger uncere- 
moniously entered the dining room at Saga- 
more Hill one morning. The President was at 
breakfast when he looked up and found the man 
standing beside him. 

"How did you get in here?" asked the President, 
in amazement. 



76 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

"Walked in," said the intruder coolly. 
The man's audacity so amused the President that 
he did not order him ejected, but accompanied him 
personally to the door. 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT was fortunate in 
-L having a most competent executive force at 
Oyster Bay. It was the rule, rather than the ex- 
ception, to burn "midnight-oil," in the Summer 
White House offices over Moore's grocery store. 

The pace was set by Secretary William Loeb, 
Jr., who was known as President Roosevelt's 
"right hand man." The regular force included 
Messrs. M. C. Latta, N. P. Webster, Clarence E. 
Ingling, E. W. Smithers, J. L. McGrew, Wilbur 
Hinman, B. F. Barnes, and T. H. Netherland. Of 
this number, Netherland and Barnes have joined 
the great majority. Mr. Barnes was appointed 
postmaster of Washington, D. C, by President 
Roosevelt. Mr. Latta, Mr. Webster, Mr. Smithers, 
and Mr. Ingling are still at the White House. Mr. 
McGrew secured a good position in another de- 
partment of the Government. Mr. Hinman pur- 
chased a farm and has settled down "next to 
nature." 

William Loeb, Jr., now numbered among the 
West End summer colonists at Oyster Bay, is a 



PRESIDENT 77 

prominent financier. He purchased the fine home- 
stead of the late Col. Robert Townsend on the 
picturesque West shore, where he lives a quiet life 
with his wife and son, William Loeb, third, which 
is in striking contrast to his activity in days of 
yore, as is shown by the following quotations from 
an article published in the Illustrated Magazine, 
in March, 1903, written by Mr. John Elfreth Wat- 
kins, Jr., a well-known special correspondent. No 
personal memoirs of Mr. Roosevelt would be 
complete without extended reference to Mr. Loeb. 

Of all young Americans in their thirties the most con- 
spicuous in our national life is William Loeb, Jr., just 
elevated to the difficult and responsible office of Secretary 
to the President 

A perfectly clean desk greeted Secretary Loeb when he 
assumed his office. Such had been the perfect executive 
ability of Secretary George B. Cortelyou that no unfinished 
business was carried forward 

Tact and wide acquaintance with men of affairs are 
the main keynotes to Secretary Loeb's success. His first 
employment after graduation, was in the office of a news- 
paper correspondent, where speed and a willingness to 
adapt liimself to in-egular hours were the prime requisites. 
Then he found better pay in the offices of business men until 
Bishop Doane selected him as his amanuensis. In his 
make-up there was none of the nomadic spirit characteristic 
of the average young man with equal self-reliance. 

He was born in All)any. He had a taste for politics and 
at an early age became the chief lieutenant of Eugene Bur- 



78 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

lingame, the then Republican leader of Albany. He was 
secretary of the Republican county committee when scarcely 
more than a youth, and served two years as vice-president 
of the Unconditional Republican Club. "When only twenty- 
two, he was elected official stenographer of the lower house 
of the New York Legislature, a position which demanded 
great skill, and which was fraught with many responsibili- 
ties for one of his few years 

During the first few months of Mr. Roosevelt's adminis- 
tration as Governor of New York, Mr. Loeb served as one 
of the four executive stenographers. Had he been a young 
man of mediocre ability, he would never have attracted 
the strenuous Rough Rider's attention. As it was, Mr. 
Loeb had so much improved his time in his short career 
that he had a personal acquaintance with all of the public 
men frequenting the State Capital. Since serving as stenog- 
rapher to the Assembly, he had been private secretary to 
a Lieutenant-Governor, a president pro tem. of the State 
Senate, a speaker of the Assembly and a candidate for the 
office of Governor. With the latter, Mr. Fassett, he had 
toured the State during a spirited campaign. He had re- 
ported the debates of the constitutional convention and 
had been steiiograplior of the District Attorney and grand 
jury. 

Governor Roosevelt soon realized that a young man with 
such experience and wide acquaintance would be valuable to 
him as his private and confidential secretary. Mr. Loeb re- 
ceived the promotion. And he has been "Roosevelt's right- 
hand man" ever since. 

Prior to President Buchanan's administration each Pres- 
ident had to furnish his own private secretary and pay 
for such services out of his own pocket ; and in those 



PRESIDENT 79 

days the presidential salary was but $25,000 a year. But 
tlie worli of tlae Presidential office was as nothing in those 
early times compared with what it is now No books 
were kept, and all official letters were answered in the 
executive departments 

The first ofl^cial private secretary authorized by Congress 
received $2500 a year. Fifteen or twenty years later, this 
was increased to $3500. It was during President Cleve- 
land's regime that it was raised to $5,000, the present 
figure. 

Two men besides Secretary George B. Cortelyou have 
found this oflice a stepping stone to the Cabinet. These 
are John Hay, and Daniel S. Lamont Secretary of War 
during President Cleveland's second administration. John 
Hay, immediately after being admitted to practice before 
the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1861, was offered the 
position of assistant secretary to President Lincoln, and 
accepted it. Later he was appointed adjutant and aide-de- 
camp to Lincoln, whom he served in the capacity of mili- 
tary secretary. Lincoln's only civil private secretary was 
John G. Xicolay, who collaborated with Secretary Hay 
in the preparation of a notable life of the great Civil War 
President. 



Secretary Joseph P, Tumulty has had more 
difficult problems to solve than any of his pred- 
ecessors, because of the great war, and the absence 
of the President from this country. However, 
his genial disposition, and the happy faculty of 
taking things philosophically has materially les- 
sened his task. 



80 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

T~\ URING Mr. Loeb's absence from the summer 
^^ White House at Oyster Bay, his place was 
filled by Assistant Secretary Rudolph Forster, who 
has a record of twenty-two years in the White 
House, dating from March 5, 1897. Being a per- 
sistent plodder, he is still on the job. 

Mr. Forster seems to find rest in work. When 
he goes on a vacation, which is once in a dozen 
years, he "feels like a fish out of water." He 
is Secretary Tumulty's right bower. Mr. Forster 
has a wonderful store of interesting information 
concerning the White House and public men, and 
he is exceedingly popular. 



Mr- Forster is known as the "silent man." Mr. 
Robert D. Heinl gave the following excellent pen- 
picture of him in Leslie's : 

You probably never heard of a human lubricant, but as com- 
pared with Rudolph Forster, assistant secretary to the Pres- 
ident, graphite and the smoothest oil are crude in texture. 
He's not the titular head of the office, but anybody who 
knows his Washington will tell you that Mr. Forster is the 
steady, silent — always silent — well-balanced pendulum who 
keeps the machinery of the White House offices, the busiest 
and most interesting organization of the nation, everlastingly 
moving. It is doubtful if the entire government service 
possesses a more indefatigable worker than he. 



PRESIDENT 81 

There was hardly the zephyr of a hreoze created when this 
snave gentleman appeared in President McKinley's work- 
shop years ago as a stenographer. He came in the hack 
door, hung up his hat, and hegan to work. He has never 
stopped, though it is vaguely reported that on Christmas 
eve a year ago he nearly got home to spend a few hours with 
his family. This may he an exaggeration, but it is a fact 
that, as the gray streaks of dawn were breaking on one occa- 
sion, Presideiat Roosevelt suddenly laid a heavy hand upon 
Mr. Forster's shoulder. The colonel — pacing up and down 
the floor in his restless, gnashing way — had dictated to the 
faithful employe by his side all night long. 

"Rudolph, we're going to quit!" Mr. Roosevelt's voice 
carried the high-tension whirr. "I've worked you so hard 
that if you were to kill me and leave enough strength in my 
body I would sign a complete pardon for you before I 
died." 

President Taft is said to have humorously compared the 
always-on-the-job Forster to his (the President's) right el- 
bow. "And I couldn't crook a finger without my elbow 
responding," was his tribute to the assistant secretary. In 
short, Mr. Forster is a President's man and forever keeps to 
that high standard. 

He is another example of how a stenographer who uses 
his brains may get to the top. When Rudolph Forster came 
to the executive offices he had made a name for himself 
by his accuracy and speed at taking shorthand dictation. 
George B. Cortelyou, whom we now refer to as one of our 
best known former cabinetarians — Secretary of Commerce 
and Labor, Postmaster General, or Secretary of the Treas- 
ury whichever large title pleases you most — was in those 
days on the bridge at the White House offices, second in 



82 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

command to John Addison Porter, the then President's sec- 
retary. Forster was one of the seven clerks, and the busi- 
ness was being liandled upstairs in the White House, over 
tlie east room. So tremendous has tlie volume of business 
increased since then, especially during and following the 
Spanish-American war, that the offices now occupy an en- 
tirely separate building and four times the former number of 
employes have to labor day and night, holidays not excepted, 
to keep the work to date. Other government branches close 
at 4 :30 o'clock in the afternoon, but when the latest home- 
goers pass along Pennsylvania avenue, the thoroughfare de- 
serted save for a sleepy policeman or so, it is an odd night 
i^ the lights in the executive offices are not burning brightly. 



ON THE OCCASION of the great naval re- 
view I was highly gratified at receiving 
the following invitation : 

The White House, 

Washington, 

September 1, 1906. 
My Dear Mr. Cheney : 

I have made arrangements for you to be on board the 
U. S. S. Mayflower during the naval review on Long 
Island Sound Monday, September 3, 1906. 

Bring this letter with you as your credential. 

WM. LOEF, Jr., 
Secretary to the President. 



PRESIDENT 83 

As the big fleet of war ships passed in review, 
President Roosevelt, filled with unbounded enthu- 
siasm, exclaimed : 

"By George! Doesn't the sight of those big 
warships make one's blood tingle? Every true- 
blue American should see this." 

It was on this occasion that Mrs. Roosevelt, who 
stood near the President, turned to me and asked 
after my daughter, saying : 

"It was only yesterday that we were talking 
about Amy and how hard she used to work at Sag- 
amore Hill." 

I replied that she had tried to be a credit to the 
Colonel, and Mrs. Roosevelt said that she thought 
that she was a credit to her father. 

"Yes," added the President, "and she has writ- 
ten some very delightful things about my family." 

The above is printed as additional proof that 
the Roosevelts fully appreciated faithful service 
and were not too exalted to recognize people in 
humbler circumstances. 

Mrs. Roosevelt thoroughly appreciated what had 
been written about the Roosevelt children, as 
is evidenced by the following letter sent from 
Albany when Mr. Roosevelt was Governor : 



84 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Executive Mansion, Albany, 

Dec. 15, 1901. 
My Dear Miss Cheney : 

Thank you so much for the article. I tliink you know 
quite well what to say that is right, and I am glad to have 
the little record of the busy Christmas to lay away for the 
children when they are old. I am so glad you are well and 
strong again. 

The Governor and the children join me in best wishes 
for your happiness and success in the coming year. 
Believe me. 

Sincerely yours, 

EDITH K. ROOSEVELT. 



A FUNNY episode in which Mr. Roosevelt and 
the reporters figured, showed his mag- 
nanimity even under adverse circumstances. 

One Sunday a local preacher in his over-zealous 
admiration of Mr, Roosevelt, during a memorial 
sermon digressed from his eulogistic remarks and 
denounced the trusts, at a time when the subject 
was a very delicate one from a political standpoint, 
coupling Mr. Roosevelt's name in a manner that 
was thought to be displeasing to the President. 

The reporters present, always on the alert for 
just such an apparent break, eagerly sought for 
copies of the sermon. My daughter had been 
asked to take the sermon in shorthand at the 



PRESIDENT 85 

church, but declined, finally consenting to type- 
write it at my house. After the minister arrived, 
the reporters assembled in the parlor. 

In the meantime the preacher, getting word of 
Mr. Roosevelt's supposed displeasure, concluded 
not to give out the sermon, and then pandemonium 
broke loose among the newspaper men. They 
argued with the minister and threatened dire 
things. 

Glancing out of the window the reporters saw 
Secretary Loeb, drive up in a carriage. Think- 
ing that Mr. Loeb had come to suppress the ser- 
mon, a representative of one of the big news 
associations, jumped up and shouted excitedly: 

"Don't you admit that man in here !" 

The reporter was informed that it would be 
hardly proper to refuse admittance to the Secre- 
tary to the President of the United States ! 

Secretary Loeb, a master hand at adjusting 
difficulties of this character, poured oil on the 
troubled waters, and advised the minister to grant 
the request of the reporters, Mr. Loeb having just 
come from the President and knowing that he had 
personally expressed no disapproval of the sermon. 

The next day the newspapers all carried sensa- 
tional stories on the sermon, but Mr. Roosevelt 
merely smiled and considered the incident closed. 



86 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Mr. Loeb's mission to the house was only for 
the purpose of arranging suitable quarters for the 
newspaper men at a coming Roosevelt reception. 



MR. ROOSEVELT had nothing to gain, either 
socially or politically, by being good to me. 
He was just impulsive, good-hearted and appre- 
ciative. As a matter of fact, the Pilot, with which 
I was connected, never supported Mr. Roosevelt 
politically, and I was also identified with the local 
Democratic organization, having always been an 
independent Republican. But Mr. Roosevelt made 
no distinction between Democrats and Republi- 
cans in his home town. I was appointed to a posi- 
tion in Washington by Commissioner West, a Dem- 
ocrat, at the request of Mr. Roosevelt, who had 
re-appointed Mr. West Commissioner of the Dis- 
trict of Columbia. 

When Mr. Roosevelt was a candidate for Presi- 
dent I wrote him a letter, stating that I felt under 
obligation to go home and vote for him, but at the 
same time thought I ought also to be loyal to the 
administration that furnished me my bread and 
butter. Within a few days Mr. Roosevelt replied 
as follows : 



PRESIDENT 87 

The Outlook, 
287 Fourth Avenue, New York., 
Office of August 13, 1912. 

Theodore Roosevelt. 
My Dear Mr. Cheney : 

That is a very interesting letter of: yours, and I thiiuk 
you for it. Now do not under any circumstances jeopardi//> 
your position. Keep perfectly quiet. You have a righc to 
vote as you desire, but you must not talk or attract attention 
by partizanship. Good luck to you. 

Faithfully your.s, 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 

He again wrote in November : 

Oyster Bay, 
November 4, 1912. 
Dear Mr. Clieiiey : 

I am deeply touched by your letter. But, my dear 
fellow, I am concerned also, for you must not jeopardize 
your position. 

May all good fortune be yours. 

Sincerely yours, 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 



THE son of a prominent Tammany Hall man 
was set back three years in his rating in the 
United States Navy through no fault of his own. 
Pressure was brought to bear on prominent of- 
ficials, even to a Cabinet officer, to give the boy 
another chance, but no one cared to ask the 
President to reverse himself. 



88 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

The matter was brought to my attention at 
Oyster Bay, and I accompanied the young man to 
the White House, stating the case to President 
Roosevelt, being reinforced by a favorable letter 
from the Chairman of the Naval Examining 
Board. President Roosevelt, remarking that "we 
must stand by the young men of the country, es- 
pecially when they are in the right," ordered the 
case to be reopened, and the young man success- 
fully passed the examination. A few days later I 
received the following letter concerning the case : 

The White House, 

Washington, 

Nov. 7, 1907. 
My Dear Mr. Cheney : 

I send herewith for your information copy of an 
Executive Order wliich tlie President signed today, con- 
cerning the case of Lieut. Moses, United States Navy. 
Very Truly yours, 

WM. LOEB, Jr., 
Secretary to tlie President. 

It was thought that race prejudice entered into 
this case, but it mattered not to Mr. Roosevelt 
whether a person was a Jew or Gentile, white or 
black. 

He took Oscar Straus into his cabinet. His aim 
always was to give every man a square deal. 



PRESIDENT 89 

Indeed, Mr. Roosevelt was generous almost to a 
fault. One day when President Roosevelt went 
home to vote, I received a telegram from the New 
York Herald which read : 

"Cover Roosevelt to the blinking of an eye." 

This meant, of course, that the Herald wanted 
an "incident story." When the President arrived 
he greeted me, with others, at the station. I did 
not expect to speak with him personally again, as 
he was making a whirl-wind visit. 

I followed him to the voting booth over a 
Chinese laundry. He was by far the liveliest man 
in the crowd, with his breezy Western manners 
and cheery greetings. It was: 

"Hello, Sheriff Johnson !" 

"Joe, you are looking well !" 

"Hello, Sim!" 

"How's the baby, Wally?" 

"Glad to see you, Jake." 

Then he darted up the narrow stairway to the 
polling place, heartily greeting ballot clerk James 
J. Mills, who shouted gleefully : 

"Theodore Roosevelt votes ballot No. 123 !" 

August P. Montant, a Democrat and a promi- 
nent summer colonist, who followed him in voting, 
asked : 

"Hasn't the President the right to vote twice?" 



90 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

"No," said the President. "You don't want me 
to be arrested and in my own home at that?" 

"Have I the right to vote with the President?" 
continued Mr. Montant. 

"Yes, if you vote the right way!" retorted the 
President. 

President Roosevelt darted into the booth, and 
in sixty seconds vs^as out again. He spied me once 
more, and grasping me by the hand pushed 
through the crowd to two chairs in a corner near 
a window, where we became seated. Then the 
President of the United States and the country 
editor engaged in a prolonged private conversa- 
tion, the nature of which the newspaper represen- 
tatives were eager to learn, and were sore because 
it was not divulged. 

I am now at liberty to divulge the topic. Among 
other things, the President discussed the affairs of 
his family coachman. The coachman who had 
served Mr. Roosevelt faithfully, wanted to leave 
Sagamore Hill and go to Washington, but the Pres- 
ident preferred to have him remain at Oyster 
Bay. 

President Roosevelt asked the country editor 
to use his influence in an endeavor to get the coach- 
man to change his mind. The coachman finally 
decided he ought to go to Washington, and rather 



PRESIDENT 91 

than hurt the. man's feelings Mr. Roosevelt ap- 
pointed him to a position in the White House. 

One important incident escaped the vigilant eyes 
of the reporters. Mr. Roosevelt slipped to me an 
envelope containing a sum of money. Pinned to the 
bank notes in the envelope was an item clipped 
from the Oyster Bay Pilot, reading about as fol- 
lows : 

If the readers of this paper know of any in(!i,;;ent persons 
or families in this community deservin.c; of assistance, and 
will so inform tlie Pilot a way ^vill he provided to help 
them. 

The item was inspired through overhearing a 
poor little boy praying for food and a rocking- 
horse. 

If the members of a once unfortunate Oyster 
Bay family are living they will now know that the 
groceries, coal and rent money provided for them 
came through funds furnished by a President of 
the United States. 

It may also be stated that a certain lady very 
close to the Roosevelts, sent a check once a month, 
through my wife, for three successive years, to pay 
the rent of a poor woman residing in Oyster 
Bay. 



92 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

TN RESPONSE to an invitation, President Roose- 
^ velt one day addressed a Brotherhood meeting 
in St. Paul's M. E. Church in Oyster Bay, taking 
for his text, "The Bible." Mr. Roosevelt appeared 
on the rostrum attired in a white duck suit, it be- 
ing an exceptionally hot day, but he was full of 
action and his stirring remarks made a deep im- 
pression upon his hearers, the congregation being 
composed of people of all denominations. It was 
said that "he preached just like a Methodist min- 
ister." During his "sermon," Mr. Roosevelt for- 
cibly remarked that a man who failed to read the 
Bible didn't have common sense. 

At the conclusion of the meeting. President 
Roosevelt requested the privilege of accompany- 
ing the pastor, the Rev. Warren I. Bowman, to 
the parsonage next door, in order to pay his re- 
spects to Mrs. Bowman. 

Master Larned Bowman, son of the pastor, 
aged about five years, said very earnestly to Mr. 
Roosevelt : "We'd like to have you stay to dinner." 

"Now, that's nice," said the President, and 
asked: "What do you have for dinner?" 

"Bread and milk," responded the boy. 
"Fine !" exclaimed the President, and added : 
"That's just what we have at our house." 



PRESIDENT 93 

ONCE I was asked by a Republican leader 
how I would like to be postmaster at Oys- 
ter Bay. 

"Never," I replied, "as long as Miss Annie 
Larrabee has breath enough left in her body to 
hold down the job." 

Miss Larrabee had been postmistress for years, 
and was beloved by the whole community. She 
was one of the finest women it had been my good 
fortune to meet, being always gracious and oblig- 
ing. Mr. Roosevelt was her staunch friend up to 
the time of her death, which occurred after he left 
the White House. He joined with the citizens ic 
securing her reappointment during President 
Taft's term. Miss Larrabee was succeeded by Miss 
Irene Bayles ; and later, former State Senator 
Thomas H. O'Keefe was appointed postmaster by 
President Wilson. 

In the early days when the Oyster Bay post 
office was a mere "hole in the wall," the Pilot 
fought for a new building and succeeded in its 
efforts, with the assistance of Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. 
Thomas C. Piatt and former Congressman Frede- 
rick Storm — the new post office building being 
erected by Mr. James Henry Ludlam, a warm per- 
sonal friend of Mr. Roosevelt. Mr. O'Keefe later 
erected a fine post office building on Audrey Ave. 



94 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

BELOW is a "sample story," written by Lindsey 
Dennison, a reporter for the New York Sun 
at the time. It shows that the President's neigh- 
bors, irrespective of politics, joined heartily in his 
receptions. 

PRESIDENT HOME TO VOTE 

DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS UNITE IN ROUSING 

WELCOME. 

Oyster Bay, N. Y., Nov. 3. — The President came home 
to-night. All this side of Long Island has reason to know it. 
His fellow villagers gave him a reception that for noise and 
red fire and general preelection evening enthusiasm has 
seldom been surpassed. Telegrams began dropping in from 
Frank C. Travers at Long Island City about a quarter before 
5 o'clock this evening to Editor A. L. Cheney of the Oyster 
Bay Pilot. Mr. Travers is a Democrat in theory but a Repub- 
lican in practice. He talks Democracy until election day 
comes around and then he votes the Repiiblican ticket be- 
cause Mr. Roosevelt is a Republican. This was his first de- 
spatch to Mr. Cheney : 

"President's baggage now here. Have fireworks arrived 
Oyster Bay?" 

To which Mr. Cheney replied : 

"Fireworks here. When does the President arrive here?" 

"Don't know" answered Mr. Travers, "but start salute at 
half past 6." 

"What about salute?" asked Mr. Cheney. "Have just 
enough to pay band. Who will pay battery?" 

Mr. Travers was apparently warming up to the occasion 
in Long Island City for this last inquiry was hardly finished 
before the answer came. 

"I'll pay for battery and anything else you can think of. 



PRESIDENT 95 

Hire band for all night. Have you got bonfire? If not, get 
busy. Get busy anyhow." 

Mr. Cheney was already as busy as he always is when 
there is any compliment to be paid to tlie President by Oyster 
Bay. 

Ably seconded by Maurice Towusend, who is a Democrat 
like Mr. Travers except that he votes the ticlvet, he passed 
the word around town. Mr. Townseud was guyed by his 
fellow Democrats but he said that he guessed the President 
was the President of the whole United States and the Town- 
sends were prominent enougli in the community to be broad- 
minded even if it were the night before election. 

At half past 6 came this message from Mr. Travers: 

"Train leaving. Let her go." 

When the train rolled into the station it was indeed ap- 
l>arent that Mr. ('honey and Mr. Town.send had let her go. 
Both political parties had rallies here to-night. Tlie bonfire 
lighted the great crowd with a flickering yellow light, an(i 
red fii-e showed its glow far out over the bay to Centre 
Island. The sky was streaked with the glare of skyrockets 
and Roman candles. The anvil battery made the little 
railroad station jump six inches in the air once every two 
and a half minutes. 

Great was the racket. When the President stepi)ed from 
the train a number of Federal guards tried to keep the crowd 
from him. The President pushed them to one side and 
dove into the mass of people, shaking hands with both hands 
at once, laughing long and loud between greetings and 
hand-shakings. He made his way across the station to a 
light trap from Sagamore Hill which was waiting for him. 
The horse was standing on its hind legs with two well- 
meaning but helpless townsmen hanging from the bridle. 



96 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

"Look here," said the President, surveying the beasfs 
enthusiasm with doleful appreciation, "Mrs. Roosevelt is to 
ride in that. It won't do. We'll have to have a quieter 
horse." 

The driver was sure that the horse was all right. Mrs. 
Roosevelt, who had come from the train at a safe distance 
behind the President, said that she was certain that it was 
safe. So they got in, the driver yelled "Let go," and in a 
flash they went out of sight up a side street. 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S reception to his 
friends and neighbors of Nassau County at 
Oyster Bay on September 15, 1902, was considered 
the crowning event in the affairs of his home life. 
On that occasion he shook hands with ten thousand 
persons. 

At Sagamore Hill Mrs. Roosevelt stood near the 
President, bowing and smiling as her neighbors 
passed by. The President and Miss Alice Roose- 
velt were in front of the bay window of the parlor. 
Surrounding them were Mr. William Loeb, Jr., 
Mr. Gerard Beekman, the Rev. Father Power, the 
Rev. Homer H. Washburn, the Rev. Alexander G. 
Russell, Col. William J. Youngs, Mr. A. L. Cheney, 
Mr. Emlen Roosevelt, cousin of the President ; Mr. 
August Montant, Mrs. Emlen Roosevelt, Miss 
Christine Roosevelt, Miss Loraine Roosevelt, Miss 



PRESIDENT 97 

Ethel Roosevelt, and Teddy, Jr., each assisting the 
President in receiving. 

Teddy, Jr., scanned the visitors as they ap- 
proached his father with as much vigilance as that 
shown by the Secret Service men. 

A buffet lunch was one of the features of the 
reception. Each visitor received ginger wafers 
and a glass of red lemonade served in a thin sher- 
bet glass cup, given as a souvenir, on which was 
inscribed : 

President Roosevelt, 1902. 

An elderly lady approached the President with 
beaming face, and attracted his immediate at- 
tention. 

"Well, Maggie, I am delighted to see you," said 
the President, grasping her cordially by the hand. 
It was Maggie Mitchell, who had been a servant in 
the President's house when he was an infant. She 
wanted to see Theodore Roosevelt now that he was 
President. 

The President chatted unreservedly with every- 
body, expressing his pleasure at meeting so many 
of his Nassau County friends. Every town in the 
county was represented by large delegations, in- 
cluding Huntington, numbering 600 ; Rockaway 



98 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

600 ; Lawrence, 200 ; Freeport, 1000, Babylon, 500 ; 
Amity ville, 450 ; Cold Spring, 500 ; Farmingdale, 
300; Roslyn, 300; Hicksville, 250; Syosset, 100; 
East Norwich, 200 ; Locust Valley, 300 ; Glen Head, 
250; Brookville, 100, Bayville, 400; and even 
Woodbury with 75. Mineola was under the leader- 
ship of Sheriff Jerome B. Johnson ; Sea Cliff was 
headed by Mr. Francis E. Sherwood; Great Neck 
by Mr. Elmer Lecluse, and Hempstead by Mr. 
DeWitt C. Titus, then postmaster. 

Mr. Maurice E. Townsend, a well known Oyster 
Bay Democrat, led the local musicians to the Presi- 
dent's house, for the townspeople had joined hands 
to pay the President tribute in a strictly non-par- 
tizan spirit. Even the grounds of Mr. William 
F. Sheehan, former Democratic Lieutenant Gover- 
nor of New York, were decorated. 

Head usher Stone and assistant usher Pusey, of 
the White House, participated in the reception. 

Following is a prominent list of the President's 
neighbors who had the honor of assisting him at 
the reception. Included in the number are many 
summer colonists who resided near President 
Roosevelt, and some of the best known men in the 
country, notably Frederic R. Coudert, a lawyer 
of international repute. 



PRESIDENT 



99 



OFFICERS : 

Frank C. Travers, President F Reeve Merritt 

James L. Long, Secretary A. P. Montaut 

Gerard Beekman, Treasurer "\^■. J. Yonngs 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE : 

W. Emlen Roosevelt, Chair. E. M. Towusend, Jr. 
Tlie Rev. Henry Washburn 
The Rev. Walter J. Power 



t'has. S. Young 
George Thompson 



The Rev. Alexander Russell Vincent P. Travers 



The Rev. W. I. Bowman 



Thomas S. Young, Jr. 



The Rev. Clarence Van Buren Camilles Weidenfeldt 



Jerome B. Johnson 
Townsend D. Cock 

E. Morgan Griffin 
Dr. G. W. Faller 
Dr. Irving F. Barnes 
William Minor 

(feo. Maxwell 
Frederic R. Coudert 
Frank Lord 

F. C. Swan 
Colgate Hoyt 

G. W. Beekman 

C. W. Wetmore 
E. H. Swan 
(tCO. M. Fletcher 
P. W. Gibson 

D. LeRoy Dresser 
Wm. L. Swan 
Samuel T. Shaw 

E. A. Rigelow 
Geo. R. Sheltou 



H. DeForest Weekes 
Chas. I-I. Raymond 
William H. Burgess 
Charles H. Rogers 
Geo. G. Stowe 
J. W. Sears 
John A. Weekes 
H. H. Landou 
Arthur D. Weekes 
Frederick Weekes 
William Trotter 
John T. Sherman 
James C. Blair 
P'rederick D. Sherman 
Wm. F. Sheehan 
R. W. Gibson 
(Jeo. Bullock 
Frank Woik 
Irving Cox 
Townsend Underhill 
Beekman H. Townsend 



100 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

\A RS. HUMPHREY WARD, the English nove- 
^^ list, gives a pen picture of former President 
Roosevelt in her novel ''Marriage a la Mode." She 
takes her characters to one of the big evening re- 
ceptions at the White House. At a quiet pause 
in the story, just before a violent episode, she lin- 
gers a moment to describe the reception : 

"Washington, at this time of the world's his- 
tory, was the scene of one of those episodes — 
those brisker moments in the human comedy — 
which every now and then revive among us an 
almost forgotten belief in personality, an almost 
forgotten respect for the mysteries behind it. The 
guests streaming through the White House de- 
filed past a man who, in the level and docketed 
world, appeared to his generation as the reincar- 
nation of forces primitive, overmastering and he- 
roic. An honest Odysseus ! — toil worn and storm- 
beaten, yet still with the spirit and strength, the 
many devices of a boy ; capable, Ike his prototype, 
in one short day of crushing his enemies, uphold- 
ing his friends, purifying his house ; and then, 
with the heat of righteous battle still upon him, 
with its gore, so to speak, still upon his hands, of 
turning his mind, without a pause and without 
hypocrisy, to things intimate and soft and pure — 
the domestic sweetness of Penelope, the young 



PRESIDENT 101 

promise of Telemachus. The President stood, a 
rugged figure, among the cosmopolitan crowd, 
breasting the modern world, like some ocean head- 
land, yet not truly of it ; one of the great fighters 
and workers of mankind, with a laugh that pealed 
above the noise, blue eyes that seem to pursue 
some converse of their own, and a hand that 
grasped and cheered, where other hands withdrew 
and repelled. This one man's will had now for 
some years made the pivot on which vast issues 
turned — issues of peace and war, of policy em- 
bracing the civilized world ; and here, one saw him 
in drawing-rooms, discussing Alaric's campaigns 
with an Oxford professor, or chatting with a 
young mother about her children." 



Through Boy's Life I wish to send this message, 
not only to the Boy Scouts, but to all boys of 
America : The prime lesson that the Boy Scouts 
movement is teaching is the lesson that manliness 
in its most vigorous form can be and ought to be 
accompanied by unselfish consideration for the 
rights and interests of others. — Theodore Roose- 
velt. 



102 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

AT ONE of Mr. Roosevelt's receptions two 
members of a receiving committee 
possessed rather old-fashioned ideas as to conven- 
tional dress and they appeared in plain business 
suits. The other members of the committee v/ere 
dressed in Prince Albert coats and wore silk hats. 
The contrast was so startling that when the two 
business men, arm in arm, approached the Presi- 
dent, he raised his hand and shouted : 
"Here come the aristocrats!" 



EIGHT years of almost daily contact with Presi- 
dent Roosevelt in his home at Oyster Bay 
and his office in Washington, certainly qualifies a 
man to speak understandingly and truthfully of 
Mr. Roosevelt's habits and character. Such a man 
is Mr. William B. Dulany, a Washingtonian, for 
many years an attache of the White House — two 
years under President William McKinley, and 
eight years with President Roosevelt. 

Mr. Dulany always accompanied Mr. Roosevelt 
in a confidential capacity when he made presiden- 
tial trips to different sections of the United States, 
and had absolute charge of Mr. Roosevelt's letters 
and State papers. At times he even carried the 
President's private purse. 



PRESIDENT 103 

One day a prominent visitor hesitated to talk 
to Mr. Roosevelt about private matters in the pres- 
ence of Mr. Dulany, when the President quickly 
turned to the man and said : 

"0, that's all right. There is not a member of 
my cabinet that I have more confidence in than I 
have in Mr. Dulany." 

Mr. Dulany declares that he never heard Presi- 
dent Roosevelt use a profane word, nor relate a 
story that could not be repeated in a drawing- 
room in the presence of ladies ; that Mr. Roosevelt 
was always good-natured and jovial, treating 
every member of the presidential party very cor- 
dially at all times. He also declares that Mr. 
Roosevelt never used intoxicating liquors in any 
form, and Mr. Dulany made a strong affidavit to 
that effect at the time of Mr. Roosevelt's famous 
libel suit. 



THE story charging Mr. Roosevelt with being a 
hard drinker was absurd. Untruthful things 
were said of him in the same spirit that gossip is 
retailed about other Presidents of the United 
States. Only recently I overheard a man say, in 
a public place : "Roosevelt was always in the habit 
of swearing like a trooper." 



104 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Contrast that man's statement with the testi- 
mony given by Mr. Dulany, and with the statement 
made by Mrs. Clinton in her story in the Ladies' 
Home Journal. During the time that Mrs. Clinton 
was at Sagamore Hill she never saw even wine 
served at the family table, or any intoxicating 
beverages brought into the Roosevelt household. I 
certainly never discovered any signs of liquor 
about Mr. Roosevelt, and made an affidavit to that 
effect at the time of the famous libel suit. Later 
I received the following letter from him, which 
shows how he appreciated the way his many 
friends stood by him so loyally. 

The Outlook, 
287 Fourth Ave. New York, 
Office op June 5, 1913. 

Theodore Roosevelt 

My Dear Mr. Clieney : 

One of the things which touched me most in connection 
with the recent libel suit was the way in which my friends 
stood by and supported me. I was more pleased than I can 
say to get the deposition which you made and handed it 
immediately to my lawyer. Fortunately it was not necessary 
for us to produce all our evidence, as before this time came 
the defendant retracted the charge and a verdict was re- 
turned in my favor. 

Faithfully yours, 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT 



PRESIDENT 105 

WHEN President Roosevelt returned from 
his Western trip June 27th, 1903, he was 
given a rousing reception by his neighbors. The 
following report of the lively affair was published 
in the New York Tribu7ie, of June 28th, 1903. It 
clearly shows the deep affection in which Mr. 
Roosevelt was always held by his neighbors, and 
also the President's responsive attitude toward 
his neighbors which was manifested in every 
word of his heartfelt speeech. 

Oyster Bay, N. Y., June 27. — Bronzed and rnddy from his 
recent Western Trip President Roosevelt reached liere to- 
day by special ti-ain from Long Island City. With him 
were Secretary Loeb, and Mr. Frank C. Travers, vice-presi- 
dent of the Oyster Bay Board of Trade. 

Time and again, as the hour for the arrival of the train 
approached the detonation of ex-Assemblyman Maurice E. 
Townsend's anvil salutes defied the lazy calm of the after- 
noon. 

So dense and so agitated became the throng on the plat- 
form that the Presidential party had literally to fight its 
way across the platform to the roadway to join the pro- 
cession. The President was welcomed by E. Morgan GriflSn, 
president of the Board of Trade, on behalf of the people of 
Oyster Bay. Tlie President, on foot, was then escorted 
up Audrey-ave. to the Town Clerk's ofiice. 

The special committee of the Board of Trade led the 
procession, followed by Julius Blum, the marshal, and his 
aid, Daniel Smith. Then came the members of the Board 



106 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

of Education, led by its President, A. L. Cheney. These 
were followed by the scholars of Cove School, which the 
President's children have attended in charge of Miss Sarah 
A. Provost, the principal. The pupils of the Oyster Bay 
School, with other visitors and residents brought up the rear, 
two bands accompanying the procession. All the pupils 
flourished miniature flags, most of the little girls being at- 
tired in white and many of them bearing garlands. 

When the President arrived at the Town Clerk's office 
Mrs. Roosevelt and Theodore, jr., Ethel, Kermit, Archie and 
Quentin Roosevelt were already awaiting him on the steps. 
Mrs. Roosevelt had previously, from the terrace of Christ 
Episcopal Church, reviewed the parade of the school children 
as they passed from the Oyster Bay school to the railroad 
station to greet the President. The welcoming committee 
had also acted as an escort to her own party, which included 
Mrs. J. West Roosevelt. Having joined Mrs. Roosevelt at the 
Town Clerk's oflice, the President proceeded to unveil the 
thirty-pound cannon which is a trophy of the Civil War, 
obtained from the Navy Department by Jerome B. Johnson, 
the Sheriff of Nassau County. Mounting the steps of the 
Town Clerk's oflice and holding his silk hat in his left 
hand, a favorite attitude, the President then spoke as 
follows : 

My friends and neighbors, I thank you heartily— more 
heartily than I can express — for your coming out to greet 
me to-day. I wonder if some of you remember and I shall 
never forget, the way that you came out to greet me about 
five years ago, when I got back from Santiago. Since I last 
saw you I ha\e been across the continent. I have travelled 
from this shore across the Alleghanies. across the Missis- 
sippi Valley to the side of the Great Lakes and over the 
Rocky Mountains to the shore of the Pacific, and the thing 
that has struck me most in that journey of nearly fifteen 



PRESIDENT 107 



thousand miles right across the coutinent has been the es- 
sential unity of our people. Wherever an American Presi- 
dent goes in the United States he feels himself to be at 
home and among those who feel as he does, and who have 
the same ideals to which he can appeal. 

Now I am coming back to you whom I know so well. The 
older among you I have known some thirty years. My 
children are now growing up and I hope that they will do 
better than I in keeping out of mischief. Naturally, it 
pleases me greatly to have you show me the feeling that you 
have shown this afternoon, and which you have given evi- 
dence of, too, so often before. When I get back here I am not 
the President; I am your old neighbor and friend. 

In welcoming you all, I want to say that I am particularly 
pleased to see and hear the children. You know, I believe 
in children, and I am mighty glad that the children of Oyster 
Bay seem to be all right in quality and also in quantity. 

Now I shall not make a speech to you, but shall just say 
again my friends and my neighbors, and those with whom 
I have lived so long and whom I know so well, and to whom 
I am knit by such close ties, I thank you from my heart, and 
I am deeply touched by your greeting this afternoon. 

After the President finished his speech he reentered the 
building and held an informal reception receiving the mem- 
bers of the Board of Trade and shaking hands with each 
member. In the course of the reception the children in front 
of the hall sang "God Save Our President." 

The trophy cannon unveiled by the President bears a tablet 
upon which is inscribed : 

Civil War Trophy Gun from United States Battleship 
Cuyler 1861. Presented to the Town of Oyster Bay by U. S. 
Government and Unveiled by Theodore Roosevelt, President 
of the United States, June 27, 1903. 



108 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

'T^HAT Theodore Roosevelt sincerely believed in 
-*- giving every man a square deal is conclu- 
sively shown in the letter following the newspaper 
article printed below (italics mine). 

The article is reproduced to explain the situa- 
tion leading to the letter from Mr. Loeb, and also 
to show that notwithstanding the fact that I had 
strong backing and was regarded as qualified to 
fill the position, and besides was a neighbor of the 
President, he was still determined to square his 
actions in the case with his public utterances. 

Mr. Roosevelt explained to me at the White 
House why it had been impossible to appoint me 
Public Printer as desired by my friends. 

{From "Ncicspaperdom," II. Craig Dare, Editor: Neiv 
York, Fehriiary 13, 1908.) 

The question of Public Printer lias again been brought 
to the surface, and the candidacy of Albert L. Cheney, an old 
well and favorably known editor and publisher, is advocated 
notwithstanding the fact that he has refused to permit his 
name to be used as a "possibility." 

Mr. Cheney is known in publishing and printing circles 
as far away as California. He has hundreds of friends 
among publishers, men who have known and admired him 
for years because of his ability and his conservative but 
progressive ideas. . . . 

He knows the printing business in all its intricacies ; 
knows how to use and govern men — knows, in fact, every 



PRESIDENT 109 

detail that enters into tlie conduct of a great printing in- 
dustry. 

Tliere isn't an unfair or arbitrary bone in his body. He 
believes in American principles and American workmen. 
Me believes in honesty in all matters, — business, political an;! 
otherwise. He is an employer of men and in his day lias 
worked among them. He believes in decent wages to com- 
petent men, — believes both workmen and employers have 
rights that should be respected. He was a member of the 
Brooklyn Union, and later of "Big Six," when the former 
was amalgamated with the latter. 

Mr. Cheney is a man of ideas and possesses an admirable 
courage. Unbiased in opinion, he is a man of the right sort 
of characteristics to make a success in the position, and 
]\ieivspaperdom joins Mr. Cheney's friends in a prayer to 
the President that his candidacy be seriously considered. 



The White House, 

Washington, 

February, 11, 1908. 
My dear Mr. Cheney : 

I am in receipt of your letter of the 6th instant. The 
President has not yet decided to make any change in Public 
Printer. He is under investigation and the result of the 
investigation will determine whether a new man will be 
appointed. The President feels that if the man whom he 
has placed temporarily in charge of the office makes good 
that he nonhl have the call on the place. All the other 
places there are civil service appointments ; but if the Presi- 
dent finds that it is possible to place you there in any 
capacity it of course will be a pleasure to him to appoint 



] 10 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

you. You of coui-se know if I can be of any help to you I 
shall fiuly be too glad to do what I can. 
With regards, believe me, 

Sincerely yours, 

WM. LOEB, Jr., 
Secretary to the President. 



pATHER YORK of Huntington, just over the 
■*- line from Sagamore Hill, and Father John 
L. Bellford, formerly pastor of St. Dominic's 
Church at Oyster Bay, were prime favorites of 
President Roosevelt, and he enjoyed their company 
immensely. Father York often dropped over to 
see "Neighbor Roosevelt," and he always had a 
number of good stories to tell the President. Fath- 
er Bellford entered into the local affairs of Oyster 
Bay with great zest, and was always a welcome 
guest at Sagamore Hill, or at the White House. 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S daily visiting list 
■*- did not always contain the name of every 
person that called at Sagamore Hill. For instance, 
a special audience, without any allotted time, 
would be granted to a skipper like Captain Joshua 
Slocum, who sailed around the world in 
a small boat called the "Spray." Mr. Roosevelt was 
deeply interested in daring feats of this kind, and 



PRESIDENT 111 

took great delight in listening to adventures spiced 
with danger. 

Newspaper editors were continually granted 
private audiences with Mr. Roosevelt, for he found 
these interviews excellent channels through which 
to keep in direct and constant touch with the pulse 
of the people. 



MR. WILLIAM PRICE, a pioneer Washing- 
ton newspaper man, who writes under the 
pen-name of "Bill Price" for the Washington 
Times, has a record of twenty years at the White 
House, most of the time representing the Wash- 
ington Star. What he can tell about Presidents 
and prominent officials, especially about Theodore 
Roosevelt, when Roosevelt was in the White 
House, would make a library in itself. 

Writing of Mr. Roosevelt at the time of his 
death, Mr. Price said, among other interesting 
things : 

I spent seven and a-half years with him at the White 
House being on newspaper duty there every day through- 
out his office hours. I traveled in many parts of the country 
with him. To me he was the personification of volcanic 
energy, even to the similarity that nobody ever knew when 
or where he would "break out." 

He walked the "legs off" some of his admirers in long and 
wearisome walks. He put others out of business by long 



112 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

horseback rides. He boxed with dexterity with Mike Dono- 
van or anybody else ; wrestled with Muldoon and famous 
Japanese wrestlers ; played many of his friends into physical 
submission in tennis ; hunted bear in Louisiana and Missis- 
sippi swamps ; wolves in Oklahoma ; mountain lions in 
Colorado, and turkeys in Virginia. Below wild turkeys he 
stopped. 



Mr. Patrick McKenna, who resided on Centre 
Island, near Sagamore Hill, was appointed to a 
position in the White House in 1902, and is still 
a member of the executive force. When President 
Roosevelt left the White House he personally 
handed to Mr. McKenna a letter of recommenda- 
tion of which the following is a copy : 

The White House, 

Washington, 

March 3, 1909. 
To Whom It May Concern : 

P. E. McKenna has served me for five years as assistant 
door-keeper at the White House. He is absolutely honest, 
always willing and obliging. I trust him entirely and should 
certainly have kept him if I were going to continue as 
President. 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 



PRESIDENT 113 

AS PROOF of the prosperity resulting, in a 
measure, from the Roosevelt boom, may be 
mentioned the progress made by Mr. Andrew 
Snouder, an Oyster Bay druggist, who has ac- 
quired a whole block of buildings within the past 
fifteen years, and recently purchased the very 
desirable hotel property adjoining said block. 

Another instance may be cited concerning the 
late James Moore, who conducted the grocery 
store over which the summer executive offices were 
located. Mr. Moore reaped a rich harvest in trade 
and rent during the Roosevelt regime, and his 
name and store became famous the country over. 

Property values were largely enhanced in 
Oyster Bay and the nearby places owing to the 
prominence given the town by Mr. Roosevelt. 
Many farms bought at fancy prices, were con- 
verted into country seats. This was particularly 
true of property adjacent to Sagamore Hill. What 
is known as Cooper's Bluff was purchased at a 
big price, and a short time after was resold for 
double the amount. And hereby hangs a very in- 
teresting tale. 

A far-sighted contractor bought Cooper's Bluff 
near Sagamore Hill for the alleged purpose of 
opening up a sand industry. Oyster Bay is a 



114 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

strictly residential town- The writer was duly 
"tipped off," when he first commenced editing the 
Oyster Bay Pilot, being advised to cut out all 
references to Oyster Bay as a factory town. Con- 
sequently when the purchaser of Cooper's Bluff 
started in to cart machinery through the streets 
of the village, and erect shanties on the property 
which was near the President's place, and adjoined 
other big country estates, the summer colonists 
and Oyster Bay residents generally were aroused 
to action. Public meetings were held for the pur- 
pose of devising ways and means to head off the 
objectionable sand industry. 

The agitation finally resulted in the wealthy 
residents forming a pool and buying the property 
at a big price named by the owner. 



WHEN fire destroyed two houses owned by 
Oyster Bay citizens, Mr. Roosevelt, learn- 
ing of their misfortune, sent for his two neigh- 
bors, and offered to advance the money to rebuild 
their homes. The offer was accepted. Mr. Roose- 
velt never charged the men a cent interest, and told 
them to take their time about paying it back. 

Because President Roosevelt did not place an 
oflfice-holder in every other house in Oyster Bay, 



PRESIDENT 115 

some of the disgruntled politicians said that he 
never did much for his town and county, but I 
happen to know that Mr. Roosevelt helped more 
people in his home town than the public will ever 
know about. Letters requesting assistance were 
generally sent to me for investigation. Here is a 
sample of one out of many; — all names being 
purposely omitted : 

The White House, 

Washington, 

January 19, 1904. 
My Dear Mr. Cheney : 

The enclosed letter from in reference to 

explains itself. The President does not recall very 

clearly and has therefore requested me to refer the letter 
to you and see if you will not communicate with the writer 

any facts you know in reference to 

Thanking you for your kind attention to this matter, 
I am 

Sincerely yours, 

WM. LOEB, Jr., 
Secretary to the President. 

No matter what the nature of the appeal might 
be, President Roosevelt always responded, if the 
parties were deserving. 



116 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

WHEN Oyster Bay became the summer capi- 
tal of the nation, and thus was linked to 
the National capital, it did not, figuratively speak- 
ing, thumb its vest holes, and strut around like 
a pouter pigeon, but took its honors philosophically 
and naturally, being not at all disturbed by the fun 
often made at its expense by the newspaper report- 
ers. Nevertheless it thoroughly appreciated the 
great distinction brought to it by President Roose- 
velt. 

Oyster Bayites do not enthuse easily, but when 
once aroused, no community in the country can 
outdo its citizens when it comes to public demon- 
strations or acts of charity. Public spirited men 
have taken advantage of the boom long enjoyed 
by the town, which has resulted in the erection of 
many fine buildings. The village has also been 
greatly improved in appearance, and now assumes 
a metropolitan air. 

Another big impetus will be given to Oyster 
Bay when the million dollar Roosevelt Memorial 
Park is established on the picturesque shores of 
the bay. The citizens fully realize what this move- 
ment means to the town, and will successfully meet 
whatever demands may be made upon them to 
carry out their part of the program. 

The people of the community at the present time 



PRESIDENT 117 

hospitably welcome the large influx of strangers 
arriving daily for the purpose of visiting the grave 
of Theodore Roosevelt. 



-pHE ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL ASSOCIA-- 
^ TION was formed to conduct a campaign for 
the purpose of collecting a fund of $5,000,000 dur- 
ing the week of October 20th to 27th, 1919. 

The plans include a monument at Wash- 
ington, D. C, and the establishment of a 
Public Memorial Park at Oyster Bay. The Roose- 
velt home, with its contents, at Sagamore Hill may 
be secured eventually, thus preserving it as a 
National shrine similar to Mount Vernon and the 
Lincoln home at Springfield, Illinois. 

The executive committee of the Association con- 
sists of the following widely-known men: Col. 
Wiliam Boyce Thompson, chairman; Joseph W. 
Alsop, John S. Cravens, Will H. Hays, Irwin R. 
Kirkwood, William Loeb, Jr., Henry J. Whigham, 
Albert H. Wiggin, Horace Wilkinson, William 
Wigby, Jr., and Henry L. Simpson. 

Mr. Electus D. Litchfield, the well-known archi- 
tect, who designed the New York City library, 
has been engaged by the Memorial Committee to 
prepare sketches and plans for the proposed 
Roosevelt Park. 



118 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

THE AMERICAN LEGION 

QUENTIN ROOSEVELT POST, American Le- 
gion, the national organization of Ameri- 
can veterans of the Great War, has been organized 
at Oyster Bay. 

The charter bears the signatures of the following 
Oyster Bay soldier boys, who made application 
for the new post; Fred. B. Bedell, Homer K. 
Cooley, Charles R. DeVoe, Rodman Gilder, Frank 
B. Loving, Jr., Merino Lustornic, John M. McGarr, 
Charles Miller, William H. Moran, William Par- 
ker, Theodore Roosevelt, Edwin J. Ryan, Jr., F. E. 
Tagliabue, Arthur Valentine, Alfred M. Wright, 
and Leonard S. Wright. Other soldier boys in- 
terested in the Post are : D. A. Phipps, George S. 
Hornblower, Cecil R, Wilson, Richard P. McCoun, 
Kermit Roosevelt, and Dr. Richard Derby. 

One purpose of the American Legion is ex- 
plained in a resolution adopted by the National 
Executive Committee. The resolution was pre- 
pared by Bishop Charles H. Brent of Buffalo, N. 
Y., formerly senior chaplain of the American Ex- 
peditionary Forces; Henry Leonard of Colorado, 
and Dr. Richard Derby of New York. It reads 
as follows : 

Resolved : That The American Legion in accordance with 
its announced principles as expressed in the Preamble of 



PRESIDENT 119 

its Constitution and in tlie resolutions adopted by it in 
caucus assembled, stands squarely against violation or threat 
of violation of law and order, whether by individuals or ag- 
gregations of individuals ; that it advocates, and urges upon 
jts membership to advocate, the imposition of full penalties 
upon violators of the Espionage Act ; that it is immutably 
opposed to and urges its membership to oppose, the ad- 
mission to the national legislative body or to any other 
public ofQce, of persons of doubtful loyalty, and more es- 
pecially of those whose disloyalty has been judicially de- 
termined. 

More than three thousand posts have been or- 
ganized at this writing. 

Quentin Roosevelt was among the first of the 
Oyster Bay boys to enlist in the War, and the 
first to meet his death. 



When the President learned that my oldest 
daughter was to be married, he told me to have her 
call at the White House with her fiance and mem- 
bers of the family. We were cordially received in 
the Green Room. Drawing a chair up to the 
group, the President conversed in the most delight- 
ful manner for half an hour, referring to what he 
termed the "Battle of the Letters at Sagamore 
Hill." He ordered flowers sent from the White 
House conservatories to the church, for the wed- 
ding ceremony. 



120 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Eight years after Col. Roosevelt left the White 
House he was called to Washington concerning 
important public business. He was due to leave 
the capital about noon. Being in the vicinity of 
the railroad station, I hastened through the gates 
at the Union Station just as the train was about 
to start. Mr. William Hoster of the New York 
American was standing on the platform and I 
approached him and expressed regrets at not 
being able to meet Col. Roosevelt. Although the 
train was ready to move, the former President 
chanced to see me through the car window, and 
leaving the delayed tiain stepped down to the 
platform and greeted most cordially an old Oyster 
Bay neighbor who occupied a humble position in 
the District Building. He was the same impulsive 
Roosevelt. 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT had full con- 
fidence in the people employed in the execu- 
tive offices. Once he was conversing privately 
with the late Whitelaw Reid, when an executive 
clerk entered. Mr. Reid ceased talking. Turning 
to Mr. Reid the President said : 

"Keep right on. We work automatically here." 



PRESIDENT 121 

EAST NORWICH, a picturesque little village 
adjacent to Oyster Bay, was almost daily 
favored by the presence of Colonel Roosevelt and 
members of his family who passed through the 
place on horseback. Col. Roosevelt always 
greeted the residents in a very friendly manner. 
It was President Roosevelt's request that 
the arrangements for his funeral should be placed 
in charge of Mr. Wilbur Johnson, the undertaker 
at East Norwich, and his wishes were carried out 
after he died. 

Mr. Halstead H. Frost, editor and owner of the 
East Norwich Entervrise, has always been an 
avowed Roosevelt man, and took an active part 
in all public functions at Oyster Bay. 



President Wilson went to Europe to assist in 
giving all peoples a "square deal" ; our boys went 
over seas and shed their life-blood in order that 
all nations might have a "square deal," and now it 
is up to the peoples of the earth to use "horse 
sense," by getting together and resolving to give 
each other "a square deal." 



122 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

SONGS AND TEARS 



Demonstrations of Regard When President Left 

Oyster Bay 

(From the New York Tribune, Oct. 1, 1905.) 

Oyster Bay, Sept 30. — President Roosevelt had tears in 
his eyes wliile lie thanked his neighbors who had gathei'ed 
at the railroad station here this morning to bid him farewell 
on his return to Washington. On no previous occasion had 
he shown such signs of emotion. He told the villagers that 
he appreciated their demonstrations of friendship on this 
and other occasions more than he could possibly express, and 
that they have been very helpful to him. 

The whole village was decorated in honor of the President, 
the decorations being especially lavish in East Main-st., 
Audrey-ave. and the road leading to the village from 
Sagamore Hill. The decoration at the station, over the main 
entrance consisted of a large shield formed of an American 
flag, on either side of which were a Japanese and Russian 
flag. Surmounting the shield was a white dove bearing in 
its mouth an olive branch. A passageway had been roped 
off through which the President and his family passed from 
the carriage to the train. 

On either side of the ropes were ranged twenty young 
women, who constitute the Roosevelt Club. They were 
dressed in white and each wore a red white and blue badge 
with a long streamer. All the choirs and all the school 
children of the village were there and each had a leaflet on 
which was printed, "Farewell to Our Neighbor, President 
Roosevelt," and undei*neath the words of the hymn, "God 
Be with You Till We Meet Again." The choirs and children 
sang the hymn as the President boarded the train. 



PRESIDENT 123 

The President stood on the platform of the rear 
car holding in his hand a printed card containing 
the hymn printed below and joined heartily in the 
singing. 



FAREWELL TO OUR NEIGHBOR, 

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 

Saturday, September 30, 1905 

God be with you till we meet again, 
By his counsels guide uphold you, 
With his flock securely fold you, 
■ God be with you till we meet again. 

God be with you till we meet again, 
When life's perils thick confront you. 
Put his arms unfailing round you, 
God be with you till we meet again. 
God be with you till we meet again, 
Keep love's banner floating o'er you, 
Smite death's threatening wave before you, 
God be with you till we meet again. 

(To be sung after last verse.) 
Till me meet, till we meet. 
Till we meet in fellowship sweet. 
Till we meet, till we meet, 
God be with you till we meet again. 



124 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

WR. ROOSEVELT died at Sagamore Hill at 
^^ 4:15, Monday morning, January 6th, 1919, 
while he lay asleep. The cause of his death was 
given as pulmonary embolism. 

Dr. William Gerry Morgan explained a pul- 
monary embolism as follows : 

"It is the passing of a blood clot into the pul- 
monary artery, then passing on until it reaches an 
artery too small to pass, thus cutting off the circu- 
lation." 

For many months Colonel Roosevelt had been 
treated by the most eminent surgeons and medical 
men of the country, but it is said the malady 
baffled the skill of the physicians. While at the 
Roosevelt Hospital, Colonel Roosevelt had a num- 
ber of serious operations performed. 

The belief is quite generally expressed that Mr. 
Roosevelt's system was filled with poison during 
the South American expedition. 



THE funeral ceremonies in Christ Church, on 
Wednesday, January 8th, were deeply im- 
pressive. 

The ritual started with the reading of the cere- 
monial followed by Psalms 39 and 90; then the 
reading of the 15th Chapter of the 1st Corinthians 
as the scripture lesson. Rev. George E. Talmadge, 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 125 

rector, recited Colonel Roosevelt's favorite hymn, 
No. 636 in the Episcopal Hymnal, "How Firm A 
Foundation Ye Saints of the Lord." This was 
followed by the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and 
other supplications. Music was entirely dispensed 
with. 

Many of Colonel R«osevelt's neighbors being 
unable to enter the little Church, stood outside 
in the snow, with bowed heads. Grief was de- 
picted upon every face. 

The immediate relatives at the funeral included 
Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Capt. Archibald Roose- 
velt, Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Mrs. Ethel 
Roosevelt Derby, and Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Long- 
worth of Cincinnati. Capt. Kermit Roosevelt and 
Col. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., sent cablegrams from 
Europe, where they were stationed with the Amer- 
ican forces. 

Other relatives at the funeral were Mr. and 
Mrs. J. Douglas Robinson, Rear-Admiral W. S. 
Cowles, a brother-in-law of Colonel Roosevelt ; Mr. 
and Mrs. Joseph Astop, Mr. W. Emlen Roosevelt, 
Mr. John C. Roosevelt, Mr. and Mrs. E. Reeve 
Merrit, Mrs. J. West Roosevelt, Mr. and Mrs. J. 
Langdon Warner, Mrs. Hilborn D. Roosevelt, Mr. 
John E. Roosevelt, Mrs. Fairman Dick, Mrs. Mon- 
cure Robinson, Mrs. Langdon Gear, Mrs. James 



126 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Roosevelt, Mrs. Fred Roosevelt, and Mrs. Samuel 
Roosevelt. 

Vice President Thomas R. Marshall, repre- 
sented President Wilson at the funeral. General 
Peyton C. March, Chief of Staff, represented the 
United States Army and Admiral Winslow, the 
Navy. There were also a number of diplomatic 
representatives. 

Governor Alfred E. Smith and his staff, of 
New York, were among the distinguished persons 
at the funeral. A Congressional delegation from 
Washington also attended. 

A silver plate on the plain oaken cofRn bore the 
inscription : 

Theodore Roosevelt 
Born October 27, 1858. Died January G, 1919. 

The burial was in Young's Memorial Cemetery, 
on a beautiful knoll overlooking Long Island 
Sound. The plot was selected by Mr. and Mrs. 
Roosevelt directly after Mr. Roosevelt left the 
White House. The grave is guarded night and 
day by Lieut. C. P. Reynolds, a watchman em- 
ployed for that purpose, alternating with another 
soldier. 

The grave has been enclosed with an iron fence 
eight feet high. Entrance to the plot is now 
through a gate which is to be kept locked. 




Where tlie •Siiiiiincr White House" was loeatetl, 
over M(iore"s (Jroeery Store. 




From the Broadway Magazine, September, 1907. 



lTl»lH'r picture shows the Pivsideiit and Mrs, Iloosevrlt 

IcaN'iii.u' clnirch. 

Benoath is interior of Clirist Clnirch at Oyster Bay 

where the funeral services were helrl. 



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WILLIAM CKAKJ 

(Wearing silk hat) 

Hi'ad 111' Secret Service Force, acting as li(iil\-t,Miaril ti 

President Koosevelt. He uave liis life for Uoosevelt 

in an accident at I'ittslield. ^lass. 

(See poem uii paj.re (j(j) 




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THEODORE ROOSEVELT 127 

ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL PARK 
Electus D. Litchfield, the architect, an old friend 
and neighbor of Theodore Roosevelt, speaking of 
the Roosevelt Memorial says that "the committee 
charged with doing something at Oyster Bay has 
determined to push this w^ork through as rapidly 
as possible." Mr. Litchfield also said : 

"Among the features which Mr. Loeb and other 
members of the committee have definitely suggest- 
ed as desirable were a play-ground equipped with 
swings and other apparatus for the use of chil- 
dren, a baseball diamond and a grand stand, ten- 
nis courts, bathing beach, and possibly a public 
bathhouse. In addition to these recreational and 
more or less utilitarian features, it has been sug- 
gested that the park should contain an open-air 
forum, fountain, lagoons, and other features of a 
dignified memorial character." 

"Col. Roosevelt was responsible for the great 
McKim-Burnham plan for the development and 
beautification of Washington, for the simple and 
charming restoration of the White House, and for 
the adoption by the Government of a new stan- 
dard of artistic accomplishment in the design of 
our American money. It was appropriate, there- 
fore, that we endeavor to make this memorial as 
beautiful and as dignified as art and our appro- 
priation will permit." 



128 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF THEODORE 
ROOSEVELT'S CAREER 



1S58 — Boru, October 27, in New York city, son of Tlieodore 

and Martha Bullocli Roosevelt. 
1876 — Matriculated at Harvard University. 
3880 — Graduated from Harvard University. 
ISSO — Married to Miss Alice Hathaway Lee, daughter of 

George Cabot Lee. 
1882— Published his first book, "The Naval War of 1812." 
1882 — Elected to New York State legislature, and elected 

minority floor leader. 
1884 — Delegate to Republican national convention as chair- 

nsan of New York delegation. Opposed Blaine's nom- 
ination. 
1884 — Determined to get out of politics and went to North 

Dakota to take up ranch life. 
18S4 — February, mother and wife died within few hours of 

each other. 
1886 — Nominated for mayor of New York and defeated. 
1886 — Married in London to Miss Edith Kermit Carow, 

daughter of Charles Carow. of New York. 
1889-1895 — Civil service commissioner. 
1895-1897— President of the New York police board. 
3897-1898- Assistant Secretary of the Navy. 
1898 — Lieutenant colonel of the Rough Riders. 
1898 — Promoted to colonel for gallantry in battle of Las 

Guasimas. 
1898— Elected Governor of New York. 
1900— Elected Vice President of the United States. 
1901 — Succeeded to the Presidency, September 14. 
1902 — Settled anthracite coal strike. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 129 

]904^Electecl President of the United States. 

3 OOJ^November 8, announced that under no circumstances 

would he accept another nomination for Presidency. 
1906 — Awarded Nobel peace prize for efforts in ending tlie 

Russo-Japanese war. 
1907 — December 11, repeated his pledge of November 8, 1904. 
1909 — March 4, concluded his second term as President and 

returned to private life. 
1909 — March 23, left for Africa on hunting trip. 
3910 — April 21, visited President Fallieres, in Paris. 
1910 — May 10, received by Emperor William, at Potsdam. 
1910 — May 20, special envoy at funei'al of King Edward. 
1910 — May 30, delivered speech on Egypt in London. 
1910 — June IS, given ovation in New York on return from 

European tour and African hunting trip. 
1910 — September 27, elected temporary chairman New York 

State Republican convention. 
1912 — February 25, announced to "seven governors" that he 

would accept the presidential nomination if tendered 

him. 
1912 — June 14, left Oyster Bay for Repul)lican national con- 
vention in Chicago. 
3912 — June 15, accorded great ovation by his supporters in 

Chicago. 
1912 — June 22, defeated for Republican nomination for 

President. 
1912 — June 22, chosen as candidate at mass meeting of Pro- 
gressives in Orchestra Hall, Chicago. 
1912 — July 7, call issued for "National Progressive Party"' 

convention at Chicago, August 5. 
1912 — August 5, returned to Chicago for Progressive party 

convention. 



130 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

1912 — August 7, nominated for President by National Pro- 
gressive party at its convention. 

1912— October 14, wounded at Milwaukee by anti-tliird-term 
fanatic. 

1912 — October 15, taken to hospital in Chicago. 

1912— October 21, left hospital for home at Oyster Bay, N. Y. 

1912 — October 30, resumed speechmakiug, addressing New 
York city voters. 

1913 — Published autobiography and toured South America, 
deliver. .ig many addresses. 

1913 — May 31, judgment rendered in his favor at Marquette, 
Mich., 'ii suit for libel against G. H. Newett, who dur- 
ing presidential campaign of 1912 charged him with 
intoxication. 

1914 — At head of exploring party discovered and explored 
for GOO miles tributary of Madeira River which Brazil- 
ian government named in his honor, "Reo Theodoro." 
Visited Madrid, Spain, and in London lectured before 
Royal Geographic Society. 

1915— May 22, jury at Syracuse, N. Y., rendered verdict in 
his favor in suit brought by William Bairnes, jr. o£ 
Albany, N. Y., for alleged libelous uttei-ances. 

1915 — At Plattsburg business men's training camp violently 
criticized President Wilson's conduct of foreign af- 
fairs. Speech drew upon Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, 
commanding camp, rebuke from Lindley M. Garrison, 
Secretary of War, for permitting delivery of "politi- 
cal speech." Thereafter advocated military prepared- 
ness and more aggressive foreign policy. 

1916 — Nominated by "Bull Moose Convention" at Chicago 
for Presidency ; declined nomination and actively sup- 
ported Charles E. Hughes, Republican candidate. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 131 

1917 — After declaration of war against Germany called at 
White House and commended President Wilson's war 
message to Congress. Later offered to raise a division 
of troops beyond conscription age for service in 
France. 

1918 — January 22, arrived in Washington on last visit, com- 
ing, as he exprsesed it, "to help speed up the war." 

1918 — January 24, at National Press Club, in last public ad- 
dress in Washington defended right to criticize ad- 
ministration's conduct of the war. 

3919— January 6, died. 




OLD residents prided themselves on meeting 
and greeting President Roosevelt. He was 
always glad to see them. "Uncle Amos" Boreum, 
an old stage driver, now dead, gave little "Teddy" 
many rides on top of his coach in the early days, 
and the President always kept him in mind. Mr. 
Boreum's wife was a cousin of the famous "Fight- 
ing Phil Sheridan." "Uncle Jake" White, another 
old resident, who drove a depot wagon, always 
had access to the grounds at Sagamore Hill. 



132 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 




FAMOUS RACE SUICIDE LETTER 

TF A MAN OR WOMAN, through no fault of 
■■- his or hers, goes throughout life denied those 
highest of all joys which spring only from home 
life, from the having and bringing up of many 
healthy children, I feel for them deep and respect- 
ful sympathy But the man or woman 

who deliberately avoids marriage and has a heart 
so cold as to know no passion and a brain so 
shallow and selfish as to dislike having children, is 
in effect a criminal against the race and should be 
an object of contemptuous abhorrence by all 
healthy people. ... If the men of the nation 
are not anxious to work in many different ways, 
with all their might and strength, and ready and 
able to fight at need, and anxious to be fathers of 
families, and if the women do not recognize that 
the greatest thing for any woman is to be a good 
wife and mother, why, that nation has cause to be 
alarmed about its future." — From President 
Roosevelt's famous Race Suicide letter, addressed 
October 18, 1902, to Mrs. Bessie Van Horst, Phila- 
delphia; published as a preface in the book, ''The 
Woman Who Toils." 



OTAND UP FOR "AMERICANISM," was the 
^ last plea made by Colonel Roosevelt. This 
last message to the American people was delivered 
at the ail-American benefit concert given by the 
American Defense Society at the Hippodrome in 
New York on January 5, 1919, and because of the 
Colonel's indisposition, it was read by Mr. Henry 
C. Quimby, a trustee of the society. The message 
which has the true Roosevelt ring, said : 

There must be no sagging back in the figlit for American- 
ism merely because tlie war is over. There are plenty of 
persons who have already made the assertion that they 
believe the American people have a short memory and that 
they intend to revive all the foreign associations which most 
directly interfere with the complete organization of our 
people. 

Our principle in this matter should be absolutely simple. 
In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who 
comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimi- 
lates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality 
with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate 
against any such man because of creed, or birthplace or 
origin. 

But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in fact an 
American and nothing but an American. If he tries to keep 
segregated with men of hi? own origin and separated from 
the rest of America, then he isn't doing his part as an 
American. 

There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who 
says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an 
American at all. We have room for but one flag, the Ameri 
ican flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes 
all wars against liberty and civilization just as much as it 
excludes any flag of a nation to which we are hostile. 




PUT OUT THE LIGHT, PLEASE" 

(Last Words of Theodore Roosevelt) 



"Put out the light, please." These were the 
last words he said ou whom now light eternal 
shines. For him no hurden of the slow and 
fading years, with consciousness of an impend- 
ing blow ; the sword of Damocles above his 
head about to fall and bring oblivion. No, it 
were best to go while still the strength of his 
gi-eat manhood unabated stood and matched his 
miglity spirit, which untamed by strain and 
travel of the passing day.s still sprang toward 
longed for action When it seemed the time was 
ripe to serve his country best ; now he rests. His 
work on earth was done, else he had stayed to 
tinish it. No life goes back to its Maker incom- 
plete, though our earthly eyes not always read 
the story to its end. The end for him is but 
the beginning of a sure presage of immortality. 
Such souls were never made to be destroyed, 
but to go on and on to wider fields and newer 
achievements, fitted to the powers which here 
on earth were as a sacred trust held blameless, 
stainless and inviolate. 

— The Liberal Netcs, Kansas 



ADDENDA 



Copyright, 1920 

by 

Albert Loren Chexey 



APR 23 1920 
(g)ClA585686 



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ADDENDA 



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F=^^^^^^^^ 



u 




HEN the author of these memoirs decided 
to write his impressions of the late 
Colonel Roosevelt, he started out v/ith 
the sole purpose of making the book a 
fragmentary compilation of truthful and 
interesting incidents in the hope that 
the inside facts regarding Colonel Roosevelt's 
home life, and the intense human side of the man, 
might be an uplift and an inspiration to every 
reader of the book, especially to the young men of 
the country, thereby assisting in keeping alive the 
vigorous American spirit always evinced and 
espoused by Mr, Roosevelt. 

In a disquisition on pedants and history, 
Colonel Roosevelt once said : "I have enough good 
sense, or obstinacy, or something, to retain a sub- 
conscious belief that inasmuch as books were 
meant to be read, good books ought to be interest- 
ing, and the best books capable in addition of 
giving one a lift upivard in some direction." To 
a prominent author who had written an American 

137 



138 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

history to his liking, Roosevelt wrote : "You are 
one of the few blessed exceptions to the rule that 
the readable historian is not truthful." 

During the time that Colonel Roosevelt was 
passing rapidly from one stage of public life to 
another, it was the principal part of the author's 
business, as a newspaper man and neighbor to 
make daily notes of his coming and going to and 
from Oyster Bay, and also to participate in ail 
the public functions in his honor. This close con- 
tact with the man gave the writer a correct 
insight into his habits and manners; therefore 
whatever else may be said of the subjoined 
memoirs, the incidents are at least true to life. 
The greatest and most highly prized compliment 
paid to these memoirs was that expressed by Mrs. 
Roosevelt, who, after perusing the book, wrote: 
"All the old days came back with the little book." 



THE cartoonist naturally claims the right to 
distort and magnify a person's individu- 
ality, the reporter is often licensed to exaggerate 
and accentuate a man's traits, and thus the reader 
frequently receives a wrong impression of the 
true character of many public men, notably 
Roosevelt, whose constant activity and strong 
personality made him a good target for both pen 
and pencil. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 139 

Mr. Julian Street, in his book, "The Most Inter- 
esting American," writing of his first meeting 
with Roosevelt, says he felt a slight disappoint- 
ment. "I did not expect him to be attired in the 
khaki of the cavalry, or to be heavily armed, but," 
says Mr. Street, "I did expect him to be — what 
shall I say? — to be more like the cartoons, to be 
somehow wilder-looking." He said he had not ex- 
pected Colonel Roosevelt to be like a conservative 
banker of Amsterdam or The Hague, but that was 
what he made him think of as he sat behind his 
office desk. 



CERTAIN press agents use the term "The 
Fighting Roosevelts," when as a matter of 
fact "The Peaceful Roosevelts" would better 
describe the family. Roosevelt was not a fighter 
in the sense that he sought or courted war, but 
was ready to respond promptly to the call of duty. 
While he seemed to carry the "chip of State" on 
his shoulder when President of the United States, 
and dared the other nations to knock it off, it was 
his dauntless courage and not his belligerent 
attitude that kept this country out of trouble. He 
was both feared and admired by other rulers. 

Lew Dockstader, the famous minstrel, once im- 
personated Roosevelt on the stage in a very life- 



140 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

like sketch. Among other manufactured sayings 
he attributed to Roosevelt was this : 

"The — reason — there — was — no — war — when 
— I — was — President — was — because — the — other 
— fell-ows — were — too — busy-e — watching — 
ME!" 



THE late Jacob Riis, once designated as "the 
first citizen," and counted one of Roose- 
velt's greatest friends, had a better conception of 
Colonel Roosevelt's true character than most men 
who were intimately acquainted with the ex- 
President. They were very similar in their likes 
and dislikes — in fact the word "chummy" might 
be applicable as to the relationship between the 
two men. The writer can recall an incident to 
illustrate: When former President Roosevelt 
attended services at Christ Church in Oyster Bay, 
it was customary for the congregation to remain 
seated until the President and his family left the 
church. The usher's duties were extremely 
strenuous. One Sunday a rather rough-looking 
man persisted in crowding his way through the 
door, and was told to stand back until the Presi- 
dent had passed. As the usher was in the act of 
forcing the intruder to one side, he heard Mr. 
Roosevelt shout heartily: 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 141 

/ 

"Hello, Jake! By George I'm mightly glad to 
see you!" and grasping the "intruder" by the 
hand President Roosevelt exclaimed: "Come on 
down to lunch." 

When the usher discovered that the man was 
Jacob Riis, he wilted and dropped into a pew. 
As the two men left the room arm in arm, Riis 
nodded in the direction of the discomfited usher 
and said in an undertone to Roosevelt : "Pipe the 
usher!" Roosevelt, who enjoyed the situation im- 
mensely, laughingly replied: "Stung!" and both 
men left the church chuckling like a couple of 
school boys. 



THE CRUCIAL TEST of a man's true charac- 
ter is, after all, found in the traits he dis- 
plays in the family circle from day to day. 
Colonel Roosevelt in this regard was 100 per cent, 
perfect. The testimony of every person connected 
with the Roosevelt household bears out this state- 
ment. Among the persons privileged to enjoy 
studying Colonel Roosevelt in the inner circle of 
his home, is Mrs. Ralph Stuart Clinton, of Wash- 
ington, D. C, formerly secretary to Mr. Roose- 
velt at Sagamore Hill. Her interesting experience 
published in the Ladies' Home Journal, is now 
included in these memoirs. 



(From the Ladies* Home Journal, October, 1919) 



C 



"AS A GIRL SAW 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT" 



3 



rLJ 




By MRS. RALPH STUART CLINTON 

(Who. as Miss Amy Cheney, was formerly Secretary to Colonel 

Roosevelt, at Sagamore Hill) 

FIRST met Colonel Roosevelt, wearing 
his characteristic smile, in the editorial 
rooms of my father at Oyster Bay, by 
appointment. He needed the services of 
a secretary, he told me. He asked me 
several questions and, being seemingly 
satisfied with my answers, wanted to know how 
soon I could begin. 

"Tomorrow morning," I replied. 
"Fine! That's the way to talk. I will send a 
conveyance for you in the morning," he said. 

When I arrived at Sagamore Hill the following 
morning. Colonel Roosevelt hailed me and, hurry- 
ing to the side of the conveyance, took my type- 
writing machine and proceeded to his workroom 
(known as the gun room). W^hen I mildly re- 
monstrated and remarked that the machine was 
pretty heavy, he replied that he had carried 
heavier things than that ! 

142 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 143 

Having been brought up in a newspaper atmos- 
phere, and trained in the work, my experience 
stood me in good stead at Sagamore Hill. A veri- 
table avalanche of letters showered upon Mr. 
Roosevelt. He tried to get additional clerical 
assistance from the village and failed. Finally, in 
sheer desperation, he gave me dictation enough to 
last several days, and then shipped a barrel of 
letters to New York, following later to dictate to 
stenographers in the city. Before expressing the 
barrel of letters he glanced at it and, with one of 
his characteristic smiles, exclaimed: 

"By Jove ! I think I should label that Tower of 
the Press.' It certainly is mightier than the 
sword !" 



BOTH Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt were very 
thoughtful and considerate of everyone and 
of each other, being exceedingly appreciative of 
anything that was done for them. Their home life 
was ideal. There was nothing to jar, not an un- 
pleasant incident all the time I was with the fami- 
ly. They insisted that I should eat at the family 
table, and treated me accordingly in every way. 
The Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt were in the habit 
of taking a "constitutional" early every morning, 
walking around the wide varanda arm in arm, 
rain or shine, as merry as two children. 



144 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Colonel Roosevelt was always gentlemanly. I 
never heard him use a harsh or a vulgar word. He 
was particularly fond of his children, and would 
stop in the midst of dictation, every afternoon at 
four o'clock, and leave the room, after which 
strange noises proceeded from the nursery. He 
was playing bear with baby Quentin on the bed! 



MR. ROOSEVELT'S dictation was vigorous 
and pointed. He insisted upon accuracy, 
and would read and punctuate a letter even to the 
insertion of a semicolon. Sometimes in the middle 
of a letter he would pause, lost in thought, seem- 
ingly miles away. At such times I always kept 
very quiet. Mr. Roosevelt would rouse himself 
suddenly, jump up and pace the floor and 
straighten out the rugs with the toe of his shoe, 
dictating rapidly, shooting out his words like 
charges from a Gatling gun. 

If a letter to him was particularly vituperative 
or unreasonable, he would drop it on the floor or 
crush it in his hand without comment. 

He answered every letter written to him, if 
couched in decent language. He read only those 
of a personal character; the others were sub- 
divided and classified as "charity," "appoint- 
ments," "political," etc., with a typed notation 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 145 

containing the meat of the letter. From these 
notations he dictated very rapidly, often giving 
double dictation. After dictating letters he would 
turn and resume dictation to another stenogra- 
pher, from a magazine, in the same room, alter- 
nating the dictation hour after hour. 

Sometimes Archie, aged five, would rush into 
the room with pencil and paper and ask to be dic- 
tated to; and Colonel Roosevelt, never out of 
patience with his children, vvould remark: "Now, 
Archie, only Uvo at a time, please !" 



COLONEL and Mrs. Roosevelt loved humor. I 
recall that Opper, the cartoonist, once sent 
a book of his cartoons. One of the Opper cartoons 
pictured little Willie McKinley and Teddy Roose- 
velt, the latter dressed in his Rough Rider suit. 
Mr. Roosevelt laughed in his heartiest manner 
over this cartoon. He showed it to Mrs. Roose- 
velt, and they laughed at it together. Mrs. Roose- 
velt took the book, and kept coming back to show 
the Colonel another one, and would say: "Theo- 
dore, you must see this one!" Then they would 
have another laugh. 

Colonel Roosevelt frequently recalled the "Bat- 
tle of the Letters" at Sagamore Hill, as he always 
termed it ; spoke of Archie, who used to try every 



146 THEODORE ROOSEVELT ^ 

subterfuge imaginable to remain when his father 
was dictating, and referred to the time when 
Archie, loath to leave the room, circled the air 
with his right hand and yelled: "Father! I 
nearly caught a fly!" As it was midwinter the 
subterfuge pleased the Colonel immensely. 



ONCE a year it was Mr. Roosevelt's custom to 
receive the reporters in his study at Saga- 
more Hill. These informal receptions were always 
looked forward to with the keenest delight by the 
newspaper boys, who perked up and appeared in 
evening dress. ' 

They sat in a circle in front of Mr. Roosevelt, 
similar to the formation of a minstrel troupe, with 
Colonel Roosevelt seated facing them like an 
interlocutor. Although he did not smoke himself, 
he would always pass around cigars first and per- 
sonally light a match for each reporter. Then he 
would settle down in his chair and spin exciting 
yarns for an hour or more in true Roosevelt fash- 
ion. 

The fingers of every reporter present tingled 
with a desire to write these stories, but they were 
in honor bound to keep faith with their host. One 
of the reporters present, whose paper was fiercely 
assailing Mr. Roosevelt at the time, told another 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 147 

reporter that his wife was an ardent admirer of 
Mr. Roosevelt, and that she would do almost any- 
thing in the world to procure his picture and auto- 
graph. This fact was communicated to Mr. 
Roosevelt, who turned to Loeb and said : 

"Loeb, send up one of my best pictures for auto- 
graph and mail it to the address of that man's 
wife!" And the favored reporter frankly admit- 
ted that this generous act took all the bitterness 
against Mr. Roosevelt out of his pen. 



ALL the members of the Roosevelt household 
were very close-mouthed. On account of 
Mr. Roosevelt's ceaseless activity and frankness, 
the air was continually surcharged with good 
stories that never reached the newspapers. 



A LTHOUGH impulsive, Mr. Roosevelt was al- 
-^^^ ways cool when danger threatened. One 
night a conference of international importance 
was being held at Sagamore Hill, attended by 
several of the most prominent men in the country, 
who had arrived on a yacht moored at the Roose- 
velt landing. The conference lasted until nearly 
midnight, when suddenly the lights went out and 
the whole house was shrouded in darkness. The 
guests sprang to their feet in excitement. Mr. 
Roosevelt coolly remarked : 



148 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

"Gentlemen, please remain quiet and I will in- 
vestigate." 

Hearing heavy footsteps in the hall, Colonel 
Roosevelt passed through the study to the door 
and snapped out "Who's there?" — ready to spring. 

"It's me," replied Seaman, superintendent of 
the Roosevelt estate. He had been in the kitchen 
and had rushed in to ascertain the trouble, which 
proved to be a defective pipe leading to the gas 
tank. Lights were improvised, and the confer- 
ence continued, Colonel Roosevelt remarking: 

"By Jove, gentlemen, that sudden transition 
surely got me for a second !" 



MR. ROOSEVELT was extremely sensitive 
when his honor was questioned. While 
governor he had an important impeachment case 
to decide and was in conference at Sagamore Hill 
with the attorney general, when the morning and 
evening newspaper reporters arrived at Saga- 
more Hill. It was customary for each newspaper 
contingent to select a spokesman from the num- 
ber. Mr. Roosevelt had promised to give out a 
joint interview with all the reporters. One re- 
porter representing the evening papers, becoming 
overzealous and restless, approached Mr. Roose- 
velt and said : "You are sure. Governor, that you 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 149 

will not give out the information to the morning 
men first?" 

Mr. Roosevelt wheeled about, his teeth gleam- 
ing, and barked out: 

"Look here, my friend, don't think because 
you're a fool, I'm one!" 

"But my people down below," stammered the 
reporter. 

"Well, if your people down heloiv" (with great 
emphasis on the word below) "haven't any sense, 
you ought to have some." 

Shortly after Mr. Roosevelt stepped up to the 
young man and said: 

"My good fellow, I allow no one to question 
my word, but as you seem to be only overanxious 
in fulfilling your duty, I forgive you." 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S thoughtfulness for 
others was proverbial. A big reception was 
to be held at Sagamore Hill, and one of the mem- 
bers of the reception committee suggested that 
the reporters be placed in a roped inclosure. When 
the President saw the inclosure being put up he 
exclaimed rather testily: 

"Not for one minute! Don't rope in those re- 
porters like a lot of cattle. Give them the unre- 
stricted run of the lawn !" 



150 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Mr. Roosevelt brought more grist to the news- 
paper mill than any other public man. He never 
snubbed or grew impatient with a reporter if the 
reporter was on the square. 



MR. ROOSEVELT greatly admired the en- 
ergy and ingenuity displayed by the news- 
paper men in securing a story, especially if they 
obtained a "scoop." A prominent London news- 
paper commissioned one of its American staff to 
go to Sagamore Hill to obtain an exclusive inter- 
view with President Roosevelt by special appoint- 
ment, regarding an international question. The 
reporters on duty at Oyster Bay obtained a tip 
concerning the Englishman's trip, and immedi- 
ately set about getting the story. They discovered 
that one of their number understood telegraphy, 
and it was left to him to make good. The re- 
porters waited until the Englishman had filed his 
story at the telegraph office, and then the scout 
reporter sauntered in, seated himself at the re- 
porters' table and took the Englishman's ex- 
clusive story hot from the key as it was sent to be 
cabled to London. The next morning all the New 
York papers carried the "exclusive interview" 
simultaneously with the London paper. When the 
incident was mentioned to Mr. Roosevelt he 
laughed heartily, remarking: 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 151 

"By Jove! You can't beat the American re- 
porter." 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT and Secretary Loeb 
referred all Oyster Bay home affairs to the 
local editor, such as receptions, begging letters, 
and securing rooms for members of the executive 
force, the editor also acting as sort of an "infor- 
mation bureau" for the city newspapers. 

One day the local scribe received a real shock in 
the form of the following telegram from the New 
York Herald'. 

"It is reported that Mrs. Roosevelt has disciirdeil corsets. 
Ascertain whether true or not." 

The telegram was sent to Sagamore Hill 
through the governess. When Mrs. Roosevelt was 
handed the message she showed it to Mr. Roose- 
velt, and both laughed heartily; and Mrs. Roose- 
velt smiled and said : 

"They have me confounded with an Empress in 
Europe." 

It was thought that the first lady in the land 
had instituted a dress reform that might revolu- 
tionize American society. 



SPEAKING of her first trip to Sagamore Hill 
Mrs. Clinton says : 
"Arrangements had been made on Saturday for 
me to go to Sagamore Hill the following Monday. 



152 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

1 had all day Sunday to think about the new posi- 
tion, and to wonder if I would be able to suit 
Colonel Roosevelt. I became rather nervous about 
it. Ordinarily, the trip to Sagamore Hill would 
have pleased me very much, as it is a beautiful 
drive of three miles from the village, but on Mon- 
day I tortured myself most of the way with 
thoughts of how I would feel if I failed to make 
good, and by the time I arrived at the house I had 
become exceedingly nervous, when suddenly I 
heard a cheery voice calling "Good morning!" to 
me from the porch, and Colonel Roosevelt hurried 
forward. The next thing I knew I was walking 
along with Mr. Roosevelt, up the stairs, and while 
he chatted and joked, my nervousness disappeared 
completely. I never thought about it after I heard 
Colonel Roosevelt's kind, cheery voice. All I re- 
member is that I worked like mad trying to keep 
up with the mass of letters that poured in every 
day. 

"I found the Roosevelt home a real home. An 
air of comfort and happiness pervaded the place, 
and affairs of the household ran smoothly, with- 
out an apparent hitch. The large fireplaces in 
which huge logs were burning, gave a very cheer- 
ful aspect to the big rooms. I knew, before I saw 
anyone in the Roosevelt household, that harmony 
and happiness prevailed there." 



PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 

k FEW COMMENTS ON THE ROOSEVELT MEMOIRS 

FROM THE PEOPLE 

"A fine work. A Wonderful man as your subject — one 
of the greatest the world has ever produced. I congratu- 
late you on your good judgment and taste in the prepara- 
tion of this volume." — Dr. Cary T. Grayson, Physician to 
President Wilson. 

"I am very glad to have it in my library." — Former 
President William Hoivard Taft. 

"An extremely interesting book. I read your splendid 
work with care and much interest. It has been a source of 
great pleasure to me to get these personal touches of our 
dear friend's life." — Admiral W. S. Braisted, Surgeon 
General, U. S. N. 

"I shall read it with a great deal of pleasure, as Roose- 
velt's life will be an inspiration to sturdy Americans for 
many years to come. — C. W. Kutz, Lt. Col., Corps of Engi- 
neers, U. S. A., Engineer Commissioner, D. C. 

"Washington, D. C, November 15, 1919. — Your vivid por- 
trayal more firmly instilled my admiration for 'The Great- 
est American of them All.' I shall place it in my library 
as one of its cherished volumes. Might I express the wish 
that every student could be the possessor of a copy of your 
book or at least have an opportunity to read it, in the belief 
that its ring of pure Americanism would appeal to all." — 
Chas. T. Cotton, Senior, Western High School. 

"Oyster Bay, L. I., November 25, 1919. — Many thanks 
for the book from Baby Quentin and myself. I read it with 
a great deal of interest." — Theodore Roosevelt, .Jr. 

"Atlantic City, N. J., December 18, 1919.— I was delight- 
fully surprised to receive your book so beautifully in- 
scribed. I enjoyed every word of it. You have given the 
public a fine work, and at a time when such things are 
needed to help people think right." — Mrs. Alice Parish. 

"Washington, D. C, December 6, 1919. — You have done 
a very useful piece of work to produce a contribution of 
value on the life of the ex-President." — Rev. John Van 
Schaick, Jr., President Board of Education of the District 
of Columbia. 

"The Concord, Minneapolis, Minn., January 9, 1920. — 
Your 'Personal Memoirs of Theodore Rodsevelt' has been 



PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 

received. It rivets our attention, and we find it most in- 
teresting. It passed through the hands of a few intimate 
friends, who all say: 'The best we have read.' Your per- 
sonal association with the Great American adds the 
greatest interest." — Mrs. Grace W. Smith. 

"Bowdoinham, Maine, December 14, 1919. — Every full- 
blooded American ought to have your 'Personal Memoirs 
of Theodore Roosevelt.' The Colonel was an American 
through and through. I wish we had more of just such 
men. I think that every family in America ought to have 
one of your books." — Cyrus J. Greene. 

"Washington, D. C, December 22, 1919.— Just the 
formal phrase of 'thank you' does not near express my 
feelings regarding your Roosevelt book. I have found it 
very interesting. You have written a book of which you 
should be proud." — Master G. Ross Popkins. 

"Washington, D. C, December 19, 1919. — I love to read 
about Roosevelt and his family. I wish that I could do 
something for you that would please you as much as that 
book has pleased me. My mother has purchased one to 
send to the library at Reedsburg, Wis." — Master Frank A. 
Gunther, Jr. 

"Office Collector of Customs, New York City. — You have 
worked into it many personal little touches that one does 
not often get in a book of that sort." — Hon. Byron R. 
Newton, Collector of Customs. 

"Oyster Bay, L. I., October 29, 1919. — I was very much 
pleased to receive the 'Personal Memoirs of Theodore 
Roosevelt.' I shall certainly cherish it, as it is a very 
lovely book." — Miss Jennie Underhill. 

[The following letter alludes to an incident in the 
Memoirs wherein Roosevelt is described as addressing a 
Brotherhood meeting.] 

"Oyster Bay, L. I., March 3, 1920. — I am reading your 
most interesting book on Theodore Roosevelt, and of course 
have special interest in page 92. I attended that meet- 
ing in the Methodist Church, and during Roosevelt's talk I 
noticed that he had a piece of paper which I supposed 
contained references. After the service I asked him if he 
would give me the paper that he had just put in his Bible, 
and he said: 'May I ask what you intend doing with it?' 
When I told him that I wished it for a keepsake, he said: 



PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 

"With pleasure!" I have the paper, which contains three 
or four Bible references, and his signature, in a safe 
deposit box." — Calvin B. Velsor, Contractor and Builder. 

FROM THE PULPIT 

"Castile, N. Y., November 29, 1919. — I read everything 
I can get about Theodore Roosevelt, one of the three great- 
est Americans that ever lived. Your close-up view of the 
great President and the very interesting way you have 
written these Memoirs remind me of Boswell's life of 
Doctor Johnson, whom you will remember, seemed to make 
Johnson live again. And you have made Roosevelt very 
real, and I appreciate the book more than I can tell." — 
Geo. W. Cook, the Singing Evangelist. 

"Washington, D. C, November 22, 1919.— I have just 
this moment found opportunity to look over your book, 
'Personal Memoirs of Theodore Roosevelt,' and am so thor- 
oughly delighted with it that I feel I must send a word of 
thanks to you at once. At first glance it appears to me 
the most interesting book I have seen on the life of this 
great American. The close-up view which you have been 
able to give through your intimate acquaintance with his 
everyday life and political campaigns is the thing we all 
want, and I hope that every admirer of Roosevelt may be 
able to read this book." — Rev. Chas. A. Shreve, Pastor 
McKendree M. E. Church. 

"Walter Reed U. S. Army General Hospital, Washing- 
ton, December 5, 1919. — After a very careful and interest- 
ing reading of your volume of 'Personal Memoirs,' I can 
truly say that it is multum in parvo. It has that essential 
characteristic which all biographies should possess, 
namely: a personal touch, and by reason of this character- 
istic the lamented Mr. Roosevelt lives in the various inci- 
dents which you have recorded so faithfully." — Rev. E. 
Holmes Lamar, Chaplain, U. S. A. 

FROM THE PRESS 

"The one who knows a great man in his own community 
and home life is the one who can write the story about him 
that will appeal to the largest class of readers. Such a 



PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 

story is 'Personal Memoirs of the late Theodore Roosevelt,' 
by Albert Loren Cheney. * * * It is a book many will 
like to own for its very simplicity; for its delineation, as 
by a series of snapshots of the man, Roosevelt, as his 
friends and his neighbors knew and loved him, rather 
than as the great public character." — Waterbury (Conn.) 
American, January 3, 1920. 

"Mr. Cheney attempts nothing elaborate. His book is 
a collection of anecdotes, dates and appreciations written 
and collected by a man who knew the Colonel in his home 
life at Sagamore Hill." — Netv York Sun. 

"The Signal editor has received a copy of the newest 
and best Roosevelt book, compiled and printed by Albert 
L. Cheney, of Washington, an old friend and home as- 
sociate of the late Colonel. It is an attractive volume, 
bound in neat style and should be on the table of every 
American." — South Side Signal, Babylon, L. I., December 
12, 1919. 

"A volume of a good deal of human interest is Albert 
L. Cheney's 'Personal Memoirs of the Home Life of the 
late Theodore Roosevelt.' Mr. Cheney was editor of the 
Oyster Bay Pilot and knew Col. Roosevelt as one friendly 
neighbor knows another, and also as a newspaper man 
knows a public character with whom he is thrown into 
close contact. These recollections are fragmentary and 
most informal, and perhaps of greater value because of 
their unpretentious character. — Buffalo {N. Y.) Express, 
January 28, 1920. 

<<* * * -pj^g author is no novice in the art of writing 
— practically his whole life has been devoted to that work. 
* * * The stories are full of human interest." — 
Brooklyn Eagle. 

East Greenwich, R. I., Feb. 26, 1920.— Albert L. Cheney, 
a native of this place, has recently published a book en- 
titled "Personal Memoirs of the Home Life of the late 
Theodore Roosevelt." In an autographed copy to the 
Editor of the Pendulum he pays a fine tribute to his former 
home town. The book is well written and contains a 
large number of interesting photographs. — Fay R. Hunt, 
Editor Pendulum, East Greenwich, R. I. 



PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 



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PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 




PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 




PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT 




^etojianb (grapJjit 



"•uMlhed Every Fiidoy by 

The Gitetuyft*> Publishing C 

Greenwich. Conn. TelepHon' 2S 



JOHN RODEMEYER, Edilo 



\ r~ f^ r^7~" Mr. Cheney a number of 
■ years ago was a Bridgeport, Conn., 
newspaper man, editor of the Bridge- 
port Eagle, and subsequentl.v became 
publisher of the Oyster Bay, (L. I.) 
Pilot, where, as a close personal friend 
_ of the late President, he enjoyed 
j peculiar advantage* of intimate re- 
lations with fi^ subject, tfiat enable him 
to make his book a veritable mirror of 
Roosevelt's^ome and immunity life, 
which he pictures with fidelity, »and 
charm, gi\'ing glimpses of the statesman 
"out of school," that are absent from 
the more stately biographies and formal 
"appreciations." The book makes no 
I pretension , t<> being a biography or 
' coherent record of any part of Roose- 
velt's career. It is a fragmentary 
compilation of incidents and impres- 
sions, humorous, pathetic and ever 
characteristic, and of intense human 
interest, acquired during an intercourse 
of many ye^rs under conditions that 
afforded exceptional opportunity for 
close otiservalion by the trained journal- 
ist who enjoyed the confidence and 
regard of Theodore Roosevelt to an 
exceptional degree. Jt^ author an- 
nounces that a share of the net pro- 
ceeds of his work is to be donated to the 
Roosevelt Memorial fund. The price 
is S2 and the book deserves a wide 
uistribution. 



Order through your newsdealer or direct from the 

Cheney Publishing Company 

Washington, D. C. 

Manuscripts of all kinds revised and prepared for j)ublication. 



